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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, For many years, the gifted actor Gary Sinise has |
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dedicated his time, energy, and resources to the cause of American |
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service members and veterans, and his work on their behalf truly |
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merits special recognition; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Sinise's acclaimed performances on stage and |
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screen have earned him a Golden Globe, an Emmy, two Screen Actors |
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Guild awards, and three Tony nominations; his notable film roles |
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include Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump, George Milton in Of |
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Mice and Men, and Ken Mattingly in Apollo 13, while on television he |
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has played Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, Harry S. Truman in |
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Truman, and Detective Mac Taylor on 197 episodes of CSI: New York; |
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most recently, he has been FBI agent Jack Garrett on Criminal Minds; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, From the earliest days of his career, Mr. Sinise has |
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served as an advocate for all who have ever worn a uniform of this |
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nation's armed forces; in the 1980s, he sponsored free dinners and |
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performances for veterans at the Steppenwolf Theatre, the famed |
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company he helped to found in Chicago, and in recent years, he has |
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entertained troops at home and abroad with the Lt. Dan Band, named |
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after his character from Forrest Gump, raising money for wounded |
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warriors and their families; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Sinise has also been a spokesperson for the |
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American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Foundation and the |
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Disabled American Veterans, and he has led efforts to raise funds |
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for the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Brooklyn |
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Wall of Remembrance in New York; he sits on the executive councils |
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of the USO and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation and on |
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the advisory board of Hope for the Warriors; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2011, Mr. Sinise established the Gary Sinise |
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Foundation, which serves and honors our nation's defenders, |
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veterans, and first responders and their families; its outreach |
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efforts include building custom smart homes for severely wounded |
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veterans, providing departing troops with hearty meals, and |
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launching a website, GetSkillstoWork.org, designed to help |
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veterans find civilian jobs; and |
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WHEREAS, In recognition of his commitment to our military men |
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and women, Mr. Sinise has received the Bob Hope Award for |
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Excellence in Entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor |
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Society, the Spirit of Hope Award from the U.S. Department of |
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Defense, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; he is only the third |
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actor to ever receive the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's |
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second-highest civilian award, and in 2012, he was named an |
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honorary chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy; and |
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WHEREAS, Whether he is portraying veterans and police |
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officers with dignity and integrity, performing his music for |
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troops on remote military bases, or advocating on their behalf at |
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home, Gary Sinise has proven to be a true patriot and a tireless |
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champion for our military personnel and veterans; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize Gary Sinise as an honorary Texan and |
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commend him for his lifelong commitment to America's service |
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members and veterans; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Sinise as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Parker |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 939 was adopted by the House on March |
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19, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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