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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas has lost an esteemed statesman |
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with the death of former speaker of the Texas House of |
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Representatives, the Honorable Bill W. Clayton of Springlake, who |
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passed away on January 6, 2007, at the age of 78; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on September 11, 1928, Bill Clayton grew up as a |
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member of a farming family near the Texas Panhandle town of |
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Springlake; after earning a degree in agricultural economics at |
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Texas A&M University in 1950, he assumed the management of the |
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family farm and also took part in other business enterprises in the |
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Springlake area; and |
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WHEREAS, His interest in civic affairs led him into politics, |
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and after serving as a delegate for Lyndon Johnson at the Democratic |
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National Convention in 1960, he was elected to the Texas House of |
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Representatives in 1962; for the next two decades, this insightful |
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leader was repeatedly returned to office, and he became an |
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influential figure at the State Capitol; Representative Clayton was |
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particularly concerned with water issues and sponsored legislation |
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that called for increased resources and conservation in the Lone |
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Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, With a reputation for building consensus among other |
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legislators, Bill Clayton was recognized as a candidate to lead the |
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chamber, and in 1975 he was elected as the 70th speaker of the house |
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of representatives; he retained that position until he retired from |
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the legislature at the end of 1982, and his eight-year tenure was |
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twice as long as the tenure of any previous Texas speaker; and |
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WHEREAS, Pioneering new initiatives to make state government |
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more efficient and accountable, Speaker Clayton oversaw the |
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enhancement of support services, electronic resources, and office |
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facilities for legislators, and he expanded the activities of |
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standing house committees and directed them to conduct research in |
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the interim periods between legislative sessions; as vice-chairman |
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of the Joint Advisory Committee on Governmental Operations, he |
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helped implement a regular oversight process for state agencies |
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through the Texas Sunset Act, and he was a driving force behind the |
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creation of a new commission on ethics; and |
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WHEREAS, Speaker Clayton was renowned for his abilities to |
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reach out to members of both parties and became the first Democratic |
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speaker to appoint Republicans as committee chairs; his rapport |
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with officials across the political spectrum continued after he |
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left office, when he became the founder and president of Capital |
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Consultants, a political and business consulting firm in Austin; |
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Mr. Clayton, who switched to the Republican Party in 1985, also |
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served two terms on the State Aircraft Pooling Board, was a regent |
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for The Texas A&M University System, and was a member of the board |
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for Campaigns for People, a group that promotes campaign finance |
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reform in Texas; he also found time to further his education, |
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earning an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin in 1992; and |
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WHEREAS, The straightforward qualities of rural living |
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continued to be part of Bill Clayton's life, as he maintained his |
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agricultural operations in Springlake and mentored his son, Tommy, |
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in the management of the business; like many other residents of the |
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farming community he called home, he was known for his calmness and |
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common sense, and in bringing these qualities to the highest levels |
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of state government, Bill W. Clayton established an admirable |
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record of service that strongly influenced younger public servants |
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and has had a lasting impact on the State of Texas; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Bill Clayton and |
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extend deepest condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Delma Clayton; to his children, Tommy Clayton and Brenda |
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Herrell; to his sister, Ann Kelley; to his brother, Donnie Clayton; |
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to his five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and to his |
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other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Bill |
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Clayton. |
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Chisum |
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Anderson |
Gonzalez Toureilles |
Mowery |
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Branch |
Harless |
Ortiz, Jr. |
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Brown of Kaufman |
Harper-Brown |
Otto |
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Brown of Brazos |
Hartnett |
Parker |
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Callegari |
Hernandez |
Paxton |
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Chavez |
Hilderbran |
Phillips |
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Christian |
Hochberg |
Pierson |
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Cook of Navarro |
Hopson |
Quintanilla |
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Cook of Colorado |
Howard of Fort Bend |
Raymond |
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Corte |
Howard of Travis |
Riddle |
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Creighton |
Isett |
Rodriguez |
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Darby |
Jones |
Smith of Tarrant |
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Davis of Harris |
Keffer |
Smith of Harris |
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Davis of Dallas |
King of Parker |
Smithee |
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Delisi |
King of Taylor |
Solomons |
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Deshotel |
King of Zavala |
Strama |
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Eiland |
Laubenberg |
Thompson |
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England |
Macias |
Van Arsdale |
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Farabee |
Mallory Caraway |
Veasey |
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Farias |
Martinez |
Villarreal |
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Farrar |
Martinez Fischer |
Vo |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 39 was unanimously adopted by a rising |
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vote of the House on January 10, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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