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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Reuben Senterfitt, who has rendered |
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distinguished service to the State of Texas as a legislator and as |
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speaker of the house of representatives, is marking a notable |
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milestone on June 18, 2007, with the celebration of his 90th |
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birthday; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Saba County, Mr. Senterfitt attended San |
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Saba High School, where he participated in debate and graduated as |
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valedictorian in 1935; he subsequently excelled in his studies at |
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The University of Texas School of Law, achieving appointment as |
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editor of the Texas Law Review; and |
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WHEREAS, Elected to the Texas Legislature at the age of 23, |
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Mr. Senterfitt served continuously for seven terms, from 1941 to |
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1955; during that time he also served his country in the United |
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States Navy, seeing duty in the South Pacific and rising from the |
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rank of ensign to lieutenant junior grade; in 1945, he traveled |
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halfway around the world to be present at the opening of the 49th |
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Regular Session; and |
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WHEREAS, During his freshman term in the house, Mr. |
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Senterfitt coauthored legislation that led to the establishment of |
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M. D. Anderson Hospital, and in 1949, he sponsored legislation |
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creating the state's veterans land program; he also advocated for |
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passage of the Gilmer-Aikin bills, which reformed the Texas school |
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system, for the adoption of the pay-as-you-go constitutional |
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provision, and for the creation of the Texas Legislative Council |
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and the Legislative Budget Board; his committee assignments |
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included the vice chairmanship of the state affairs committee and |
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chairmanship of the congressional and legislative districts and the |
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military and veterans affairs committees; and |
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WHEREAS, While speaker of the house from 1951 to 1955, Mr. |
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Senterfitt was instrumental in moving the state to the use of a |
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unified budget, a reform that significantly improved the |
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appropriation process; he also facilitated passage of legislation |
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authorizing construction of the Dallas-Fort Worth turnpike; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving the legislature, Mr. Senterfitt |
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served as attorney for the City of San Saba and for San Saba County; |
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his outstanding legal career ultimately spanned more than five |
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decades, before he retired to give more time to his ranching |
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interests, his public service activities, and his beloved family; |
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he and his wife, Pat, have been blessed with a large and lively |
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circle of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan is a life fellow of the Texas Bar |
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Foundation and a former president of the San Saba Chamber of |
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Commerce and San Saba Rotary International; in recent years, the |
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Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin has |
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interviewed Mr. Senterfitt extensively as part of a project to |
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document the key role played by Texas speakers from 1951 to the |
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present time; and |
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WHEREAS, For more six decades, Reuben Senterfitt has served |
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his fellow Texans with the utmost integrity, ability, and |
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dedication, and he is indeed deserving of special tribute in |
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recognition of his immeasurable contributions to the Lone Star |
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State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby congratulate the Honorable Reuben Senterfitt on the joyous |
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occasion of his 90th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Senterfitt as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |