H.R. No. 1495

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, A respected Houston civic leader received well-deserved recognition as Graciela G. Saenz was named one of the Sor Juana Women of Achievement for 2007; and

WHEREAS, Created by the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago in 1998, the Sor Juana Women of Achievement awards commend female leaders of Mexican descent and are presented in conjunction with the National Sor Juana Festival arts celebration; the year 2007 marks the expansion of this notable event to Houston, with six prominent Texans being honored for their accomplishments; the awards and festival pay tribute to the famed 17th-century Mexican writer Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, who was an early proponent of increased educational opportunities for women; and

WHEREAS, Gracie Saenz is a fitting recipient for this prestigious honor, having been a prominent figure in Houston for more than two decades; after earning her law degree at the University of Houston, she was an assistant district attorney for Harris County from 1986 to 1990 and then spent two years in private practice; seeking a further role in public service, she was elected to the Houston City Council and took office in 1992, becoming the first Hispanic to be elected to an at-large position in the city; she was subsequently reelected to two additional terms before stepping down due to term-limit requirements; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Saenz served as mayor pro tem from 1994 until she left office; an advocate for youth programs and inner-city development, she also served as chair of the Ethics Council Committee and the Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Council and was a member of several other council organizations; and

WHEREAS, During her time in office and in her subsequent legal work, Ms. Saenz has specialized in international business, helping to increase Houston's connections with global markets and suppliers; her activities have included chairing the city's NAFTA Task Force and heading up Houston International Initiatives, a nonprofit city-sponsored organization that helps small businesses to develop contacts in Latin America; in addition, she played a leading role in efforts to increase trade with Asia and to strengthen ties between Houston and other cities that are centers for the energy industry; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Saenz lends her expertise to a large number of community organizations, including the American Leadership Forum, the Memorial/Hermann Hospital System, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Sports Group, and LULAC Council No. 643; her achievements have been recognized with numerous honors such as receiving the International Service Award from the Houston Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Woman of the Year Award from the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, and being inducted into the Hispanic Women in Leadership Hall of Fame; and

WHEREAS, Now a partner in Oppel, Goldberg & Saenz, this distinguished attorney and community leader may take great pride in her achievements and in the knowledge that she is an inspiration to other aspiring female leaders; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Graciela G. Saenz for being named one of the 2007 Sor Juana Women of Achievement and extend to her best wishes for the future; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Ms. Saenz as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

Noriega

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 1495 was adopted by the House on April 17, 2007, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House