| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Rural telecommunications professionals are |
|
|
gathering in Austin on February 21, 2017, to celebrate the |
|
|
importance of Small and Rural Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers to |
|
|
the prosperity of the Lone Star State; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Nearly 85 percent of Texas is considered rural; |
|
|
encompassing 142 million acres in 172 counties, these areas are |
|
|
home to more than 3.2 million people, the largest rural population |
|
|
in the nation; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Each year, more than $200 billion of the state's |
|
|
gross domestic product is generated by such traditionally rural |
|
|
industries as agriculture, forestry, hunting, and oil and gas |
|
|
production, and these enterprises require the latest in modern |
|
|
communications technology; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In response to this need, 45 Small and Rural ILECs |
|
|
have built and continue to maintain a high-quality |
|
|
telecommunications network that covers the vast majority of the |
|
|
rural areas of the state, including those remote regions that are |
|
|
most expensive to serve; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, This state-of-the-art network provides critical |
|
|
infrastructure for education, economic development, health care, |
|
|
law enforcement, and border security; in addition, the Small and |
|
|
Rural ILECs support more than 6,300 jobs and are responsible for |
|
|
over $2.5 billion in direct and indirect economic impact; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Small and Rural ILECs play a vital role in the |
|
|
dynamic economy of Texas in the 21st century, and they are truly |
|
|
deserving of special recognition for their accomplishments and |
|
|
contributions; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize February 21, 2017, as Small and Rural |
|
|
Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers Day at the State Capitol and |
|
|
extend to the visiting telecommunications professionals sincere |
|
|
best wishes for a productive visit to Austin. |