|
|
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 696
|
|
WHEREAS, May 2, 2017, marks the 40th anniversary of the |
|
longest filibuster in history, which took place on the floor of |
|
the Texas Senate; and |
|
WHEREAS, The filibuster is a time-honored tradition dating |
|
to ancient Rome that allows a legislator to seek to halt or delay |
|
the passage of legislation by prolonged discussion; the Texas |
|
Senate requires that a senator remain standing at his or her desk |
|
during the duration of a filibuster, that no breaks be taken, and |
|
that the entirety of the discussion be directly related to the |
|
bill under consideration; and |
|
WHEREAS, Senator Bill Meier, who represented Tarrant |
|
County, took the floor of the Senate at 3:20 p.m. on May 2, 1977, |
|
and did not relinquish it until 10:20 a.m. on May 4; for 43 hours, |
|
he spoke in opposition to a Senate bill that addressed the |
|
state's Open Records Act as it related to worker's compensation |
|
issues; and |
|
WHEREAS, He relied on many of the tried-and-true tools of |
|
the filibusterer's art, including comfortable shoes, hard |
|
candies, lemon slices, water, and the use of a device, better |
|
left unexplained, called an astronaut bag; and |
|
WHEREAS, Despite his stamina, his eloquence, and the riveting |
|
excitement inherent in reading aloud hundreds of legal cases, he was |
|
unable to convince his fellow senators of the righteousness of his |
|
cause, and the bill passed by a vote of 23-7; and |
|
WHEREAS, His 43-hour marathon continues to be the longest |
|
filibuster by an American politician in a state legislature or in |
|
Congress; it was recognized by the Guinness Book of World |
|
Records, which no longer lists filibusters in its records, most |
|
likely because of the improbability of this record ever being |
|
eclipsed; and |
|
WHEREAS, Today, Bill Meier serves with distinction as the |
|
Place 2 Justice on the Second Court of Appeals in North Texas; his |
|
record-setting filibuster is an integral part of the storied |
|
history of the Texas Senate, and it is truly fitting that this |
|
extraordinary feat be celebrated; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
|
Legislature, hereby commemorate the 40th anniversary of the |
|
longest filibuster in history and recognize, but do not yield the |
|
floor to, Justice Bill Meier for his role in this historic event; |
|
and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
|
Justice Meier in honor of this momentous anniversary. |
|
|
Hancock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
President of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
I hereby certify that the |
|
|
above Resolution was adopted by |
|
|
the Senate on May 2, 2017. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
Member, Texas Senate |