H.R. No. 381

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Emilio De Los Santos III has been chosen as the 2010
	recipient of the Dan Garcia Memorial Achievement Award presented by
	the Veterans County Service Officers Association of Texas; and
	WHEREAS, This prestigious annual honor recognizes the
	accomplishments of a county veterans service officer or assistant
	officer who has performed above and beyond the call of duty, who has
	been involved in all aspects of veterans' affairs, and who has been
	active in the community the officer serves; honorees must also
	display a record of continuing education and a patriotic spirit;
	and
	WHEREAS, Mr. De Los Santos earned the commendation as a
	result of his notable work to assist veterans in South Texas in
	achieving improved access to medical care and other services; he
	has been a leader in the movement to establish a U.S. Department of
	Veterans Affairs hospital in the Rio Grande Valley so that veterans
	who live in the area do not need to make a five-hour trip to San
	Antonio for appointments; moreover, he helped galvanize local
	support for Proposition 8, a Texas constitutional amendment passed
	in 2009 to authorize funding for the construction and operation of
	VA hospitals; with the Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley,
	he has contributed to the creation of a VA health care center in
	Harlingen, and he continues to press for a full-service facility in
	the region; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. De Los Santos has been the director of the
	Hidalgo County Veterans Service Office since 2002; in that role, he
	helps veterans and their family members in preparing claims for
	compensation, insurance, pensions, educational benefits, and
	medical care, and he helps them with appearances at Board of
	Veterans' Appeals hearings; he also raises awareness about programs
	and benefits available for former service members through public
	speaking engagements and organizes outreach initiatives such as
	veteran enrollment fairs and welcome-home celebrations for
	returning military personnel; and
	WHEREAS, Committed to keeping elected officials in Austin and
	Washington informed of the needs of those he serves, Mr. De Los
	Santos has testified before the Texas Legislature and the United
	States Congress and promoted state legislation related to a
	homestead exemption for disabled veterans; he is a member of the
	regional board of directors of the Veterans County Service Officers
	Association of Texas and received the Outstanding Service Officer
	of the Year award in 2007; in addition, he was recently appointed by
	President Obama to the Selective Service System Local Board, and in
	2010 he was chosen to be part of the VISN 17: VA Heart of Texas
	Health Care Network Veterans Advisory Board; and
	WHEREAS, A U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam
	War era, Mr. De Los Santos was employed for three decades by the
	Weslaco Independent School District; he holds a master's degree in
	education and has also worked as Region One Adult Basic Education
	Service Center director; he has further distinguished himself as
	president of the Weslaco Mid Valley Lions Club, as commander of VFW
	Post 10464 in Weslaco, and through his involvement in Weslaco youth
	sports leagues; and
	WHEREAS, The dedication and enthusiasm Emilio De Los Santos
	has brought to his pursuits have made a positive difference in the
	lives of numerous Rio Grande Valley residents who valiantly served
	their nation in the armed forces, and his efforts in their behalf
	are truly deserving of recognition; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby honor Emilio De Los Santos III on being chosen as
	the recipient of the 2010 Dan Garcia Memorial Achievement Award
	presented by the Veterans County Service Officers Association of
	Texas and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success;
	and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Mr. De Los Santos as an expression of high regard by
	the Texas House of Representatives.
	Pena
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 381 was adopted by the House on March 3,
	2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House