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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, In the global economy of the 21st century, the |
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establishment of business links to countries outside the United |
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States is of growing importance to the State of Texas, and areas |
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that figure prominently in this type of development contribute |
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greatly to the state's commercial progress; and |
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WHEREAS, One especially fertile location for the growth of |
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international business is the city of Richardson; long a center for |
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computer and communications technology and the site of many |
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divisional or regional corporate headquarters, Richardson has also |
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attracted more than 30 companies from foreign countries; the firms |
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hail from 15 nations around the globe, including Canada, China, |
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Finland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United |
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Kingdom; and |
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WHEREAS, These enterprises compete in a variety of |
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industries; while many specialize in technology-oriented fields |
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such as semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, and |
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software development, others focus on workforce management, |
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security, air transportation, and heating, ventilation, and air |
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conditioning, among numerous other endeavors; and |
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WHEREAS, The city has also been chosen as a base of operations |
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for domestic companies that maintain operations abroad; these firms |
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further Richardson's involvement in international business and |
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allow area residents to benefit from the opportunities available in |
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foreign markets; and |
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WHEREAS, To build on the city's connection to global |
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commerce, civic leaders are opening the Mayor's Office of |
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International Business, a partnership between the City of |
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Richardson and the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, and the chamber |
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is also establishing a new Richardson International Business |
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Advisory Committee; these initiatives are designed to attract |
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investment by companies from other countries, to support locally |
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based firms seeking to develop their business abroad, and to open |
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new international markets for the city's entrepreneurs; and |
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WHEREAS, The Richardson Economic Development Partnership |
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also plays a key role in nurturing global business alliances, and |
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its work includes hosting delegations from around the world who |
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visit North Texas to learn about the area and assess prospects for |
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commercial partnerships; and |
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WHEREAS, Another factor that makes the city so inviting to |
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international companies and business leaders is its thriving |
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multicultural character; Richardson is home to people from a broad |
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range of backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions and offers a |
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vibrant mix of restaurants, specialty stores, and places of worship |
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that reflects the diversity of the population; in addition, |
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cultural centers such as the Raindrop Turkish House and the Dallas |
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Chinese Community Center further the cosmopolitan environment; and |
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WHEREAS, With its emphasis on developing international |
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business as an important component of the local economy, Richardson |
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stands as an admirable model for the way that Texas communities can |
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compete and prosper in the decades ahead, and its achievements are |
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indeed deserving of special legislative recognition; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate Richardson as the official International Business |
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Capital of North Texas. |