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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Robert Eckels stepped down in March |
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2007 from the office of county judge of Harris County after |
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rendering nationally acclaimed service in that critical post; and |
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WHEREAS, First elected as county judge in 1994, Judge Eckels |
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led the commissioners court of the third most populous county in the |
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nation for more than a decade; the Harris County Commissioners |
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Court, whose members collectively represent a population of over |
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3.6 million, is responsible for providing basic governmental |
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services to the more than one million county residents who live |
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outside the limits of any incorporated municipality; as head of the |
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commissioners court, Mr. Eckels also served as director of the |
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Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management |
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and represented the county on numerous boards, committees, and |
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regional councils of government; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the priorities on which Judge Eckels focused |
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during his tenure in office were transportation, homeland security, |
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and health care; while chairing the Transportation Policy Council |
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for the Houston-Galveston region, he played a vital role in |
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drafting the Regional Transportation 2025 Plan; in 2005 Speaker Tom |
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Craddick appointed him to the Study Commission on Transportation |
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Financing, and he chairs both the Alliance of I-69 Texas and the |
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Texas High Speed Rail & Transportation Corporation; and |
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WHEREAS, Under his leadership, the Harris County Office of |
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Homeland Security and Emergency Management became a national model |
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for preparedness and response to emergency situations; considered |
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an expert in local emergency management and response, Judge Eckels |
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has testified on such matters before committees of both the U.S. |
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House and Senate and serves on the state and local senior advisory |
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committee to the president's Homeland Security Council; and |
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WHEREAS, In order to facilitate better delivery of health |
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care services to uninsured and underinsured residents, Judge Eckels |
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guided Harris County and the Harris County Hospital District in |
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forging strong partnerships with nonprofit, private, public, and |
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faith-based health care providers and clinics; he is highly |
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regarded for his expertise in devising and implementing acceptable |
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air quality plans on the county level; and |
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WHEREAS, When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated |
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sections of the Gulf Coast, Robert Eckels coordinated and managed |
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relief assistance for refugees that was widely admired for its |
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efficient administration; in recognition of his outstanding |
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efforts, he received the 2006 State Leader of the Year Award from |
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the Jon Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute, as well as |
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tributes from American City and County magazine, Partners for |
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Livable Communities, the National Conflict Resolution Center, the |
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Greater Houston Partnership, and Esquire magazine; and |
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WHEREAS, Before assuming the office of county judge, Judge |
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Eckels served six terms in the Texas House of Representatives, from |
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1983 to 1994; a native of Houston, he received his undergraduate |
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degree from the University of Houston and his law degree from South |
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Texas College of Law; he is currently a partner with Fulbright & |
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Jaworski; and |
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WHEREAS, Robert Eckels has exemplified the highest standards |
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of public service, and the conclusion of his tenure provides a |
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fitting opportunity to recognize his immeasurable contributions to |
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the people of Harris County; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend the Honorable Robert Eckels for his |
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exceptional leadership as county judge of Harris County and extend |
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to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Judge Eckels as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |