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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost an admired philanthropist |
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and energy industry giant with the passing of George Phydias |
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Mitchell of Galveston on July 26, 2013, at the age of 94; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Greek immigrants, Mr. Mitchell was born |
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in Galveston in 1919; he worked his way through Texas A&M |
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University, selling candy and stationery and running a tailoring |
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and laundry business; after graduating first in his class with a |
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degree in petroleum engineering and geology, he served his country |
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in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, attaining the |
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rank of captain; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan joined a newly formed wildcatting |
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company in 1949 as a consulting geologist and engineer; he became a |
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partner in the firm and was then named president in 1959; under his |
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skillful leadership as chair and chief executive officer, Mitchell |
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Energy & Development Corporation evolved into one of the nation's |
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largest independent oil and gas producers; the company was listed |
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on the New York Stock Exchange before its merger in 2002 with Devon |
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Energy Corporation; and |
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WHEREAS, Recognized as the father of hydraulic fracturing, |
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Mr. Mitchell pioneered drilling and completion technologies that |
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transformed the energy industry; for nearly two decades, he |
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overcame setbacks and ignored naysayers while perfecting methods of |
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extracting natural gas from the Barnett Shale formation in |
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commercial quantities; his foresight and dogged determination |
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engendered an industry revolution that has vastly increased global |
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supply and enhanced the energy security of North America; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell also enjoyed tremendous success as a |
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real estate developer of rare ambition and imagination; in 1974, he |
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established The Woodlands, a 28,000-acre master-planned community |
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designed to preserve East Texas forest and other natural resources |
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while integrating mixed-income residential development with an |
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employment center; the city today is home to about 100,000 people |
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and a number of corporations, and it is recognized for the beauty of |
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its protected green space, which represents a quarter of its total |
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area; and |
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WHEREAS, The devoted father of 10, Mr. Mitchell joined with |
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his wife, Cynthia Woods Mitchell, to help make the world a better |
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place for future generations; in 1978, the couple created the |
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Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation to support innovative, |
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sustainable solutions for human and environmental problems; since |
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its inception, the foundation has distributed or pledged more than |
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$400 million to a variety of worthy causes, including the promotion |
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of sustainability science and clean energy, Cook's Branch |
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Conservancy, and the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and |
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Astronomy at Texas A&M; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell became the most generous benefactor in |
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the history of his alma mater, with donations that included the land |
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for the university's campus in Galveston; in addition, he spent |
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tens of millions rebuilding his hometown, funding the restoration |
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of the historic Strand District and resurrecting a long-dormant |
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Mardi Gras tradition that now brings 500,000 visitors to the city |
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annually; and |
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WHEREAS, In his later years, Mr. Mitchell focused |
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increasingly on charitable endeavors; he made the Giving Pledge, a |
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commitment promoted by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, |
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making public the intent he and his late wife had formed to donate |
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the majority of their wealth to philanthropic initiatives; |
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moreover, he advocated powerfully for tighter regulation of and |
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safer practices in the conduct of hydraulic fracturing; and |
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WHEREAS, George Mitchell left an indelible imprint on the |
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nation as a true visionary of the energy industry, and through his |
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exceptional dedication to environmental protection, social equity, |
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and economic prosperity, he made important contributions that will |
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long continue to resonate in the Lone Star State and beyond; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the |
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remarkable life of George P. Mitchell and extend sincere |
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condolences to his loved ones; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of George |
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Phydias Mitchell. |
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Eiland |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 5 was adopted by the House on August |
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5, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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