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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, An accomplished graduate of The University of Texas |
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School of Law, Diana Saldana was sworn in on March 27, 2007, as a |
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United States magistrate judge for the United States District Court |
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in the Southern District of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Carrizo Springs to Blanca Hernandez |
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Rodriguez, Judge Saldana was the third eldest of six children in her |
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family; from the age of 10, she helped to support her loved ones, |
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working alongside them seasonally as a migrant farmworker, and she |
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continued to work in the fields every summer until her second year |
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of law school; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Saldana is a graduate of The University of |
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Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in history and government; |
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in 1997 she graduated from The University of Texas School of Law, |
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where she was president of the Chicano/Hispanic Law Students |
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Association; while still in law school, she became the first former |
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migrant worker to serve as a law clerk for Migrant Legal Services in |
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Fargo, North Dakota; and |
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WHEREAS, From 1997 to 1998, Diana Saldana clerked for United |
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States District Court Judge George P. Kazen in Laredo, where she |
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reviewed all civil case motions and assisted in drafting opinions |
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and orders in those cases; she then joined the U.S. Department of |
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Justice in Washington, D.C., as a trial attorney, helping to |
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enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act for the Employment |
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Litigation Section of the department's Civil Rights Division; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning to Texas, she joined the Houston civil |
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litigation firm of Beirne, Maynard & Parsons; Ms. Saldana went on to |
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enforce federal narcotics and immigration laws as an assistant |
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United States attorney for the Southern District of Texas in |
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Laredo; in that capacity, she handled some 350 felony cases per year |
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and participated in more than 20 jury trials; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to attaining her own professional goals, |
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Judge Saldana has sought to aid her fellow minority students by |
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serving as a panelist at conferences stressing the value of |
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diversity in higher education and appearing in a recruitment video |
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for the Law School Admission Council; and |
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WHEREAS, The extraordinary journey of Diana Saldana from |
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field worker to federal judge is an inspiration to all who know her, |
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as is her commitment to helping others pursue their dreams of a |
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higher education and a brighter future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Diana Saldana on her appointment as |
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a U.S. magistrate judge for the United States District Court in the |
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Southern District of Texas and extend to her sincere best wishes for |
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continued success in all her endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Judge Saldana as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |