84R12785 BPG-D

By: Rodriguez of Travis H.R. No. 915

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The Honorable Bill Richardson of New Mexico is donating his professional papers to the Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of more than three decades in public service, Bill Richardson benefited his fellow citizens as a United States congressman, as governor of New Mexico, as ambassador to the United Nations, and as U.S. secretary of energy; he was nominated four times for a Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his achievements as a diplomat and special envoy, and he is the recipient of the National Hispanic Hero Award from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute; and

WHEREAS, Governor Richardson has authored three books since his return to private life in 2011, and he has been highly involved in philanthropy; in collaboration with actor and conservationist Robert Redford, he created the Foundation to Preserve New Mexico Wildlife; he also established the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, which focuses on conflict resolution and prisoner release; since his days in Congress, he has secured the freedom of hostages, political prisoners, and military service members from North Korea, Cuba, Iraq, the Sudan, and Mexico; and

WHEREAS, Committed to advancing knowledge of international affairs, Governor Richardson has shared his expertise as an adjunct professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and as a special fellow on Latin America at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University; moreover, he has taught at the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University; he received his early education in Mexico and the United States, and after graduating from Tufts University, he went on to complete his master's degree at that institution's acclaimed Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; and

WHEREAS, The Governor Bill Richardson Papers will add significantly to the depth of the American political history collection at The University of Texas at Austin, offering scholars unique insights into the remarkable career of a pioneering Hispanic leader as well as valuable perspectives on international relations and human rights; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby honor Governor Bill Richardson for his accomplishments and express sincere appreciation for the generous donation of his professional papers to the Briscoe Center for American History; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Governor Richardson as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.