SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 186

WHEREAS, In order to increase public awareness of the extraordinary achievements of the technology and life-sciences industries and the vital role they play in the prosperity of the Lone Star State, February 5 through 9, 2007, is being celebrated as Texas Technology Week; and

WHEREAS, The sponsors of Texas Technology Week are the AeA Texas Council, the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute, the Metroplex Technology Business Council, and TechNet Texas; and

WHEREAS, The technology and life-sciences industries and research institutions of Texas are making leading-edge advances in medicine, space exploration, computing, communications, energy, and transportation and are revolutionizing the world we live in; within the state, these industries employ more Texans than do the oil, natural gas, and agriculture industries combined, and their well-paying, highly skilled jobs contribute to a diverse and growing economy; and

WHEREAS, People around the globe have benefited immeasurably from the medical treatments and devices developed by Texas companies; the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute, membership of which includes universities and private research institutions and biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies, acknowledges that between 2000 and 2004 approximately 2,741 Texas biotechnology patents were issued and that Texas biotechnology-related patent growth is outpacing the national average; and

WHEREAS, The life-sciences industry is a significant pillar of the Texas economy; the industry in Texas includes approximately 3,000 establishments employing over 75,400 Texans and has the promise of continued job growth for many years to come; and

WHEREAS, The nation's largest high-technology trade group, AeA, reports that Texas ranks second in the country in high-technology employment; the state provides approximately 436,000 jobs, and 57 of every 1,000 private sector workers in our state are employed by high-technology firms; moreover, Texas ranks 12th among all the states in terms of its high-technology average wage; the wage is nearly double that of the average private sector worker, allowing the industry to provide an aggregate high-technology payroll of $31.5 billion; the importance of this industry to Texans is further underscored by the fact that high-technology products account for 26 percent of the state's international exports; and

WHEREAS, All sectors of the technology and life-sciences community are joining together this week to discuss the major issues facing their industries and to affirm their support for strong systems of public and higher education, which is critical to maintaining the highly skilled workforce on which these industries depend; and

WHEREAS, The technology and life-sciences industries have become tremendous engines for economic growth in the State of Texas, and the benefits of their research and production enrich people the world over; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 80th Legislature, hereby recognize February 5 through 9, 2007, as Texas Technology Week and commend its sponsors for their outstanding work in supporting and promoting research, development, products, service, and manufacturing in the State of Texas; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor of the sponsors of Texas Technology Week. Shapiro

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 7, 2007.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate