81R7104 CBE-D

By: Gallego H.R. No. 353

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Former Texas governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr., has dedicated his life to public service and philanthropy, and in November 2008, he was selected to receive the Santa Rita Award by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System; and

WHEREAS, The highest honor bestowed by the UT Regents, the Santa Rita Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated concern for the principles of higher education, as well as deep commitment to furtherance of the purposes and objectives of The University of Texas System; and

WHEREAS, Born on April 23, 1923, in Uvalde, Dolph Briscoe, Jr., graduated as valedictorian from Uvalde High School and subsequently attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he was a member of the Friar Society and served as editor-in-chief of the Cactus yearbook; he earned a bachelor's degree in 1942, the same year he married a fellow Longhorn, the former Janey Slaughter; following a tour of duty with the army in the China-Burma-India theater during World War II, he returned with his wife to his hometown and his family's ranching business; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Briscoe began his service in the Texas House of Representatives in 1949 and quickly made his mark with the Colson-Briscoe Act, a measure that appropriated $15 million a year to build farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads and radically enhanced the way of life for farmers and rural Texans; during four terms of service, he also successfully advocated for bills that improved statewide public education and brought telephone service to thousands of rural residents; and

WHEREAS, After his father's death in 1954, Mr. Briscoe became the owner and manager of one of the largest and most diverse ranches in the state; he went on to serve as president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and was instrumental in the development of the Southwest United States screwworm eradication program, which is still considered one of the most important and beneficial in the history of livestock; and

WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan reentered the political arena in 1972 as the Democratic candidate for governor and impressed voters with his platform of honesty and integrity in government; his tenure spanned six years and included such achievements as passage of open meetings and open records legislation and an extensive ethics and financial disclosure bill; moreover, he added some $4 billion in public funds for secondary and higher education; in addition, Governor Briscoe distinguished himself as chair of the Southern Governors' Association, as president of the Interstate Oil Compact Commission, as a member of the National Petroleum Council, and as an executive committee member of the National Governors Association; and

WHEREAS, Since leaving public office in the late 1970s, he has continued to benefit the Lone Star State through his exceptional support of UT System institutions, including the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and UT Southwestern Medical Center; Mr. Briscoe's most recent gift in 2008 of $15 million to the Center for American History at UT Austin reflects both his passion for history and his enthusiasm for his alma mater, and the center was fittingly renamed in his honor; and

WHEREAS, Equally committed to making a positive difference in the lives of Texans was Mrs. Briscoe, who worked in behalf of children, senior citizens, and the developmentally disabled before her death in 2000; Mr. and Mrs. Briscoe raised three children, Janey Briscoe Marmion, Dolph Briscoe III, and Cele Briscoe Carpenter, and inspired others with their long and devoted union; and

WHEREAS, The University of Texas System and its institutions realize great achievements year after year, thanks in part to the generosity and vision of people such as Dolph Briscoe, and his immeasurable contributions to higher education will continue to resonate well into the future; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby honor former governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr., on his receipt of the Santa Rita Award and extend to him sincere appreciation for his outstanding dedication to his fellow Texans; and, be it further

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