SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 480
         WHEREAS, The year 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the
  founding of the Texas Public Policy Foundation; and
 
         WHEREAS, In the 20 years since its founding, the foundation
  has been a tireless defender of the founding principles of this
  great country of liberty, personal responsibility, and free
  enterprise; and
 
         WHEREAS, The foundation was founded in San Antonio in 1989
  by a small group of civic-minded Texans who were inspired by the
  effectiveness of the Heritage Foundation at the national level
  and wanted to protect Texans' liberty and freedom by bringing
  independent, market-based research to tackle problems facing
  state government; and
 
         WHEREAS, While the Texas Public Policy Foundation was
  founded with an initial focus on education and tort reform, the
  foundation has grown to become a broad-based research institute
  examining issues that include taxes, government spending,
  criminal justice, health care, property rights, public
  infrastructure, consumer markets, and the environment; and
 
         WHEREAS, The foundation's current board of directors
  consists of members from a variety of professions, including law,
  medicine, oil, media, real estate, and academia; and
 
         WHEREAS, The foundation is the state's largest free-market
  public policy research institute, with academic research,
  policy-driven events, and independent insight as its hallmarks; and
 
         WHEREAS, With research conducted by in-house policy
  analysts and scholars from across the state, nation, and world,
  the foundation pursues the highest standards of academic
  integrity; and
 
         WHEREAS, The foundation has played an integral role in the
  Texas legislative process by providing principled and
  independent research and recommendations and educating elected
  leaders without regard to their political affiliation or
  philosophical viewpoint; and
 
         WHEREAS, Implementation of the foundation's research
  recommendations has contributed to the economic successes of
  this great state, as Texas now leads or ranks near the top in the
  nation in the number of Fortune 500 companies, overall job
  creation, and state financial condition and proudly ranks almost
  last in per capita general revenue tax burden; and
 
         WHEREAS, The foundation has grown during the past 20 years
  into a leading defender of freedom and liberty, with almost 20
  employees and contracted experts and a budget of more than $3
  million; it is now the largest state-based think tank in the
  nation and serves as a model for other free-market organizations;
  now, therefore, be it
 
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
  Legislature, hereby congratulate the Texas Public Policy
  Foundation on its notable achievements and its 20th anniversary
  and extend to the foundation sincere best wishes for continued
  success; and, be it further
 
         RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
  the Texas Public Policy Foundation as an expression of high
  regard from the Texas Senate.
 
  Shapiro
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on April 27, 2009.
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate