SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 114

WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize February 17 and 18, 2009, as El Paso Days at the State Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Located in the westernmost tip of the state, the City of El Paso combines a modern metropolis with the charm born of its Spanish origins; the area was named El Paso by the Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Onate because of the shallow place in the river where the colonists crossed en route to Santa Fe, New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, The arrival of the railroads in 1881 ushered in an era of prosperity, and El Paso became a flourishing frontier community that has developed into a significant industrial, commercial, and transportation city; and

WHEREAS, Today, semitrailers, trains, and planes transport manufactured goods through the border cities at the Pass, just as Spanish traders did in the 16th century when they guided ox-drawn carts along the Camino Real from Mexico City to Santa Fe; and

WHEREAS, With a population of nearly three-quarters of a million people, El Paso is the state's sixth-largest city and the nation's 22nd-largest; the largest American city on the 2,000-mile United States-Mexico border, it lies across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico's fifth-largest city, which has a population of over a million people; and

WHEREAS, Nearby Fort Bliss, which celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2008, is immersed in the biggest transformation in its history; its population is projected to increase 300 percent by 2012, and $5 billion is being invested in construction for new, top-of-the-line facilities for the incoming personnel and their families; and

WHEREAS, El Paso is a vibrant, bilingual community, and many of its residents are fluent in Spanish; its residents enjoy a thriving fine arts community, exemplary educational institutions, and many cultural and historical resources and museums; and

WHEREAS, El Paso Days at the State Capitol provide an opportunity for friends and families to honor El Paso and its rich heritage, which today is enjoyed by residents and vacationers of all ages; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st Legislature, hereby recognize February 17 and 18, 2009, as El Paso Days at the State Capitol and join the citizens of this historical and vibrant region in paying tribute to this wonderful city; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as a memento of this special occasion.

Shapleigh

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 2, 2009.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate