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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Senator John G. Tower, whose career of exceptional |
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public service spanned nearly five decades, is being honored by |
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family and friends with the dedication of a memorial marker at the |
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Texas State Cemetery on May 13, 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Houston in 1925, John Tower joined the navy |
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at the age of 17 and served for three years in the Western Pacific |
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during World War II; following his discharge from active duty in |
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1946, he served in the navy reserve until 1989, when he retired with |
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the rank of master chief boatswain's mate; and |
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WHEREAS, Drawn to politics and government from his youth, |
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Senator Tower earned a bachelor's degree in political science from |
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Southwestern University in 1948 and a master's degree from Southern |
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Methodist University in 1953; while a graduate student, he also |
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attended the London School of Economics; and |
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WHEREAS, From 1951 to 1960, John Tower served on the faculty |
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of Midwestern State University and became increasingly involved in |
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the state Republican Party; in 1961, at the age of 35, he scored a |
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surprise upset in the race to fill Vice President Lyndon |
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B. Johnson's newly vacated seat in the U.S. Senate; with his |
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victory, John Tower became the first Republican to be elected to the |
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senate from Texas since Reconstruction; he won reelection three |
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times before deciding not to run for a fifth term in 1984; and |
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WHEREAS, While in Congress, Senator Tower became |
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particularly knowledgeable and influential in matters relating to |
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the military and national defense; he served from 1965 until his |
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retirement on the Senate Armed Services Committee and chaired that |
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committee from 1981 to 1985; he also served for 14 years on the |
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Joint Committee on Defense Production and served throughout his |
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senate career on the Banking and Currency Committee, which became |
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the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely respected for his legislative skills, |
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Senator Tower worked to strengthen financial institutions, improve |
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transportation systems, expand opportunities for small businesses, |
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increase U.S. exports, and promote many sectors of the economy that |
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are of major importance to Texas, including the agricultural, |
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energy, fishing, and maritime industries; he was also a leading |
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proponent of efforts to modernize and expand the military; and |
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WHEREAS, Senator Tower continued to hold positions of public |
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trust after leaving the senate; from January 1985 to April 1986, he |
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served as the chief U.S. negotiator in the Strategic Arms Reduction |
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Talks with the Soviet Union in Geneva, and from 1986 to 1987 he |
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chaired a panel known as the Tower Commission, which investigated |
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the Iran-Contra affair; he was appointed to the President's Foreign |
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Intelligence Advisory Board in 1987 and three years later became |
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the chair of that group, a post he held until his untimely death in |
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1991; and |
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WHEREAS, The author of two books, Senator Tower published A |
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Program for Conservatives in 1962 and Consequences: A Personal and |
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Political Memoir just months before he died; and |
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WHEREAS, Southwestern University long benefited from Senator |
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Tower's active leadership as a member of its board of trustees and |
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is now the repository for his papers; in appreciation of his |
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enduring support for the school and his outstanding contributions |
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in the public realm, the university conferred on Senator Tower both |
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an honorary doctor of literature degree and a Distinguished Alumnus |
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award and named a chair of political science in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, John Tower devoted his life to the service of his |
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country, and this nation and the State of Texas gained immeasurably |
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from his zest for his work, his consummate ability, and his profound |
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patriotism; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and public service of |
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Senator John G. Tower and commemorate the installation of a |
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memorial marker in his honor at the Texas State Cemetery; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Senator |
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John G. Tower. |
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Branch |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1989 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 19, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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