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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a much admired lawmaker and |
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friend to many with the death of former House Speaker Pro Tempore |
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D. R. "Tom" Uher of Bay City on March 9, 2019, at the age of 81; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Alfonso A. Uher and May Bittick Uher, Tom |
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Uher was born in Bay City in 1937, and he grew up with the |
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companionship of three siblings, Doris, LaVerne, and Myrna; he |
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earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in 1960 |
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followed by earning his Doctor of Jurisprudence at The University |
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of Texas in 1962; he then returned home to open his law practice; |
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for 55 years, he continued to serve his clients, truly enjoying work |
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both as an attorney and spending time outdoors, coaching Little |
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League and in his final year of coaching in 2012, his team won the |
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Little League Minors Championship, teaching Bible study at the |
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First Presbyterian Church, and watching football, especially his |
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beloved Longhorns; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Uher shared a rewarding marriage of |
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more than 55 years with his wife, Ann Hagaman Uher, and they |
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welcomed into their family two daughters, Christi Joe and Catherine |
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Ann, and a son, Robert, as well as two grandsons, Christopher Joseph |
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and the late Noah Carl Uher; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1967, Representative Uher won a special election |
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to the House on his 30th birthday, December 16; his constituents in |
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Matagorda, Wharton, and Brazoria Counties would reelect him 17 |
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times; serving over three decades and eight Presidents, he served |
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as Speaker Pro Tempore from the 73rd through 77th Legislatures, and |
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upon leaving the Legislature was Dean of the House; he held numerous |
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leadership roles, serving as Chair of the House Committee on State |
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Affairs, Chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee on Budget and |
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Oversight, and Chair of the committees on Redistricting, Degree |
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Plans, and Regions, Compacts, and Districts, as well as Chair of the |
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Animal Health Commission; in addition, he was Vice Chair of the |
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General Investigating Committee, the Public Health Committee, and |
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the Select Committee on Child Pornography; he further served as a |
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member of such committees as Public Education, Higher Education, |
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and Ways and Means; moreover, he was instrumental in the passage of |
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Senate Bill 438, exempting the expansion of Darrell K. Royal Texas |
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Memorial Stadium from the Capitol view corridor guidelines; this |
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pivotal legislation allowed for the expansion of the facility to |
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provide seating for more than 100,000 guests; in addition, he took |
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special pride in the passage of a bill he authored that granted MD |
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Anderson Cancer Center patients access to care without referrals; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Charming and collegial, Representative Uher earned |
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the affection of all his colleagues; he commonly ended |
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conversations by calling others "Great American," and he himself |
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became fondly known as the "Great American"; after leaving the |
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House in 2003, he continued to share his wisdom and experience as a |
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mentor whether to a young person, friend or colleague, or fellow |
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elected officials, both in Austin and his hometown of Bay City; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his steadfast dedication to public service, |
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Tom Uher made a lasting, positive impact in the lives of innumerable |
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Texans, and his contributions will be remembered for years to come; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable D. R. "Tom" Uher |
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and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; 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 his family, and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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former House Speaker Pro Tempore D. R. "Tom" Uher. |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
Guerra |
Noble |
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Bailes |
Hernandez |
Patterson |
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Bell of Kaufman |
Hinojosa |
Perez |
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Bell of Montgomery |
Holland |
Phelan |
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Bonnen of Galveston |
E. Johnson of Dallas |
Reynolds |
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Bowers |
J. Johnson of Dallas |
Rodriguez |
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Buckley |
Johnson of Harris |
Romero, Jr. |
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Burns |
King of Hemphill |
Rosenthal |
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Burrows |
King of Parker |
Sanford |
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Button |
King of Uvalde |
Schaefer |
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Canales |
Kuempel |
Sherman, Sr. |
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Capriglione |
Lambert |
Shine |
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Davis of Dallas |
Lucio III |
Thierry |
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Davis of Harris |
Martinez |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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Dean |
Martinez Fischer |
Thompson of Harris |
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Deshotel |
Metcalf |
Tinderholt |
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Dutton |
Meza |
Turner of Dallas |
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Farrar |
Middleton |
Turner of Tarrant |
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Gervin-Hawkins |
Muñoz, Jr. |
Wray |
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González of Dallas |
Murr |
Zedler |
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González of El Paso |
Neave |
Zerwas |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 177 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 23, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 177 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the Senate on May 23, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |