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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Suzii Paynter is retiring from the Baptist General |
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Convention of Texas on March 1, 2013, following distinguished |
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tenures as director of the Christian Life Commission and the |
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Advocacy and Care Center; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Paynter joined the Christian Life Commission as |
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director of public policy in 2001; she became director of the |
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commission in 2006 and director of the Advocacy and Care Center in |
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2011; as head of the CLC, she has led efforts to address a wide range |
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of concerns: from food policy, hunger, and child and maternal |
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nutrition to life issues, foster care, juvenile justice, predatory |
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gambling, predatory lending practices, immigration, human |
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trafficking, education, and energy; she has also overseen such |
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far-reaching programs as the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering, which |
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funds hundreds of hunger-relief projects both in Texas and around |
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the world, and chaplaincy relations, which involves the work of 700 |
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chaplains serving in the Advocacy and Care Center; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to her work with the Baptist General |
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Convention of Texas, Ms. Paynter has been involved in interfaith |
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efforts to shape public policy through her membership in the Bread |
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for the World steering committee, her participation in the |
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Evangelical Environmental Network, and her affiliation with the |
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Religion and Foreign Policy network of the Council on Foreign |
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Relations; and |
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WHEREAS, Before joining the BGCT, Ms. Paynter was engaged in |
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promoting literacy for 25 years in a number of professional |
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capacities, including as a literacy coordinator in the public |
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schools, as a consultant, and as an educational publishing |
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executive; and |
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WHEREAS, The recipient of many well-deserved accolades, this |
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esteemed Texan has been honored by the North American Association |
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of Christians in Social Work, the Baptist Center for Ethics, the |
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Criminal Justice Coalition, the AARP, the Sierra Club, Samaritan |
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Counseling Centers, and Texans Standing Tall; in 2012, Dallas |
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Baptist University conferred on her an honorary Doctor of |
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Humanities degree; and |
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WHEREAS, Suzii Paynter has brought deeply caring, committed, |
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and energetic leadership to bear on issues crucial to the |
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well-being of all Texans, and her exceptional efforts will continue |
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to resonate throughout the Lone Star State for years to come; 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 hereby commend Suzii Paynter for her exemplary service |
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with the Christian Life Commission and the Advocacy and Care Center |
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of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for continued success in all of her endeavors; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Paynter as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |