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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, After more than 36 years of outstanding service with |
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the Texas House of Representatives, esteemed Capitol staffer Janice |
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Vastine is retiring in July 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, Though she was born in Mississippi and grew up in |
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Louisiana, Ms. Vastine has embraced the Lone Star State as her own, |
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a fact made evident by her notable career in state government; her |
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tenure began in 1967 with the Welfare Department in the John H. |
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Reagan Building; her first employment with the Texas House came two |
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years later, when she worked for Representatives Maurice Angly, |
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Jr., and John Poerner during the 61st Legislative Session; although |
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she was the busy mother of three young children at the time, she |
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stayed with her employers through the special sessions that summer |
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before transferring to the Texas Attorney General's Office in the |
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fall; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Vastine returned to the legislature briefly |
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during her three-year tenure with Attorney General Crawford Martin, |
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responding to a call for help during a period of transition taking |
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place in the speaker's office; and |
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WHEREAS, On January 8, 1973, she made the house her permanent |
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workplace, and since that time, she has distinguished herself in |
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each of the capacities in which she has served; in addition to |
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working for the Committee on House Administration and the speaker's |
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office, she has been employed as house purchaser, director of |
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finance, and manager of the Business Correspondence, Personnel and |
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Staff Development, and Payroll and Personnel Departments; |
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moreover, Ms. Vastine has been responsible for the Records |
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Retention Schedule and the House Policies and Procedures Manual, |
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and she has served as the coordinator of the Americans with |
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Disabilities Act; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout her decades of service, she has performed |
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her duties with the enthusiasm of one who enjoys her job to the |
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fullest; she has loved the ever-changing issues, the people, the |
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politics, and the workplace itself, many nights leaving by a |
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specific exit to catch the best view of the Capitol in all its |
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glory; and |
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WHEREAS, While claiming for years she'd have to be forcibly |
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removed from the building before she'd give up her job, Ms. Vastine |
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had seriously underestimated the magnetic pull of her |
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grandchildren, whose undeniable adoration of their grandmother |
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will soon render her retirement a fait accompli; with her state |
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employment coming to an end, she is looking forward to spending more |
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time with her family, including her children and their spouses, |
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Pamela and Blake Turner, Victoria and Michael Folger, and Bo and |
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Florence Vastine, and most especially her eight beautiful |
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grandchildren, Jake, Austin, Meaghan, Molly, Aidan, Kaylee, |
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Sophie, and Oliver; her new status as a woman of leisure will also |
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allow Ms. Vastine time to pursue her favorite hobbies, which |
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include finding special antiques for herself and her loved ones and |
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traveling, particularly in Western Europe during the Christmas |
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markets, where she is always on the lookout for German Christmas |
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pyramids; and |
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WHEREAS, Janice Vastine is an admired and beloved member of |
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the close-knit legislative community who has served her fellow |
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citizens and their elected public officials in the house with great |
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skill, dedication, and diligence for nearly four decades, and it is |
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a pleasure to honor her and pay tribute to her remarkable career; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Janice Vastine on her retirement |
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from the Texas House of Representatives and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for continued happiness in all of her endeavors; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Vastine as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Geren |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2286 was adopted by the House on May |
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25, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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