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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 221
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WHEREAS, February 16 through 20, 2009, is being celebrated |
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as Texas Technology Week in order to increase public awareness of |
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the extraordinary achievements of these industries and the vital |
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role they play in the prosperity of the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Sponsoring Texas Technology Week are TechAmerica, |
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the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute, TechNet Texas, |
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the Metroplex Technology Business Council, the Texas Association |
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of Business, the Texas Coalition for Capital, and the Solar |
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Alliance; and |
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WHEREAS, The technology and life-sciences industries and |
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research institutions of Texas are achieving leading-edge |
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advances in medicine, space exploration, computing, |
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communications, energy, and transportation, revolutionizing the |
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world we live in; within the state, these industries employ more |
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Texans than do the oil, natural gas, and agriculture industries |
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combined, and their high-wage, highly skilled jobs contribute to |
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a diverse and growing economy; and |
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WHEREAS, People around the globe have benefitted |
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immeasurably from the medical treatments and devices developed |
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by Texas companies, and the Texas Healthcare and Bioscience |
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Institute, whose membership includes research institutions, |
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regional economic development entities and communities, and |
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biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies, |
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acknowledges that in 2006, one of almost every 23 U.S. |
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biotechnology employees worked in Texas; nine recipients of |
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biotechnology-related Nobel Prizes, National Medals of Science, |
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or National Medals of Technology are based in this state; in |
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2007, the National Institutes of Health awarded more than $1 |
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billion in grants and awards to entities in the State of Texas; |
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and Texas biotechnology-related patent growth is outpacing the |
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national average; and |
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WHEREAS, The life-sciences industry constitutes a |
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significant pillar of the Texas economy, including approximately |
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3,200 establishments employing over 85,400 Texans, with the |
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promise of continued job growth for many years to come; and |
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WHEREAS, TechAmerica, the nation's largest high-technology |
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trade group, reports that Texas ranks second in the country in |
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high-tech employment, with some 459,000 jobs, and 56 of every |
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1,000 private sector workers in our state are employed by |
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high-tech firms; moreover, Texas ranks second among all states in |
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terms of its high-tech employment, and ninth among all the states |
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in terms of its high-tech average wage, a wage nearly double that |
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of the average private sector worker, which allows the industry |
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to provide an aggregate high-tech payroll of $37.5 billion; the |
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importance of this industry to Texans is further underscored by |
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the fact that high-tech product exports exceed $35.9 billion and |
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account for 21 percent of the state's international exports; and |
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WHEREAS, All sectors of the high-technology and |
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life-sciences community are joining together this week to |
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discuss the major issues facing their industries and to affirm |
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their support for a strong system of public and higher education, |
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a critical factor in providing the highly skilled workforce on |
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which these industries depend; and |
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WHEREAS, The technology and life-sciences industries have |
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become a tremendous engine of economic growth in the State of |
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Texas, and the benefits of their research and production enrich |
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people the world over; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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Legislature, hereby recognize February 16 through 20, 2009, as |
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Texas Technology Week and commend its sponsors for their |
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outstanding efforts in promoting research, development, |
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products, services, and manufacturing in the State of Texas; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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honor of Texas Technology Week. |
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Shapiro |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on February 18, 2009. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |