H.R. No. 187

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, A distinguished delegation from South Texas is
	visiting Austin on February 5, 2019, to celebrate Rio Grande Valley
	Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, Enjoying a strategic location on the Gulf of Mexico
	and along the Mexican border, the Rio Grande Valley was an important
	ranching region when Texas became the nation's 28th state in 1845;
	over time, the economy shifted from ranching to agriculture, and
	the Valley became the state's center of citrus and vegetable
	production; and
	WHEREAS, In the 1960s, industry flourished and international
	trade became increasingly prominent; the region has contributed
	significantly to the tremendous increase in commerce across the
	United States-Mexico border, with more than 946,000 trucks, 11.7
	million cars carrying 24.3 million passengers, 28,000 buses
	carrying over 300,000 passengers, and 6.2 million pedestrians
	crossing Rio Grande Valley ports of entry and averaging more than
	$140 million in goods and services per day, with over $51 billion
	in commercial trade per year flowing across 13 land ports of entry;
	the Rio Grande Valley is an economic powerhouse for the State of
	Texas with approximately $12.5 billion in taxable sales recorded in
	reporting year 2018; and
	WHEREAS, The Valley has over 1.5 million residents, with
	approximately 600,000 individuals under the age of 25, and local
	and state officials have focused on the need to expand access to
	higher education and health care, strengthen the workforce,
	increase transportation and ports of entry infrastructure, and
	increase funding for public education; The University of Texas Rio
	Grande Valley serves over 28,600 students; the UTRGV School of
	Medicine is in its third year of operation with 155 medical students
	and 169 medical residents in 10 GME programs and over 20 patient
	care sites; and
	WHEREAS, The Texas A&M University System recently opened its
	McAllen Higher Education Center, which will be linked to the campus
	in College Station and will offer programs in engineering,
	technology, biomedical sciences, agriculture, and laboratory
	sciences; and
	WHEREAS, The six higher education institutions in the Rio
	Grande Valley, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M
	University McAllen Higher Education Center, Texas A&M University
	Health Science Center, South Texas College, Texas Southmost
	College, and Texas State Technical College, serve a student
	population of over 70,000; and
	WHEREAS, Major sponsors for the day's legislative event
	include The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M
	University, Texas Southmost College, the City of McAllen, the City
	of Edinburg, the City of Weslaco, the City of Pharr, the City of
	Brownsville, the Port of Brownsville, the Lower Rio Grande Valley
	Development Council, the Starr County Industrial Foundation,
	Willacy County, and the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, as well as
	several private sector businesses, such as Pathfinder Public
	Affairs, Atlas, Hall & Rodriguez, LLP, IBC Bank, Texas Gas Service,
	Uber, and The Coca-Cola Company, all of which are promoting greater
	regional cooperation in the 21st century; and
	WHEREAS, A vibrant region with a rich heritage, the Rio
	Grande Valley is poised to take advantage of tremendous
	opportunities for continued economic development, and it is indeed
	most fitting to honor Valley residents for their dedication to
	building a bright and prosperous future for the area; now,
	therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
	Legislature hereby recognize February 5, 2019, as Rio Grande Valley
	Day at the State Capitol and extend to all participants sincere best
	wishes for a productive and enjoyable visit.
	Martinez
	Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Oliverson
	Allen Guillen Ortega
	Allison Gutierrez Pacheco
	Anchia Harless Paddie
	Anderson Harris Parker
	Ashby Hefner Patterson
	Bailes Hernandez Paul
	Beckley Herrero Perez
	Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Phelan
	Bell of Montgomery Holland Price
	Bernal Howard Ramos
	Biedermann Huberty Raney
	Blanco Hunter Raymond
	Bohac Israel Reynolds
	Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez
	Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr.
	Buckley Johnson of Harris Rose
	Bucy Kacal Rosenthal
	Burns King of Hemphill Sanford
	Burrows King of Parker Schaefer
	Button King of Uvalde Shaheen
	Cain Klick Sheffield
	Calanni Krause Sherman, Sr.
	Canales Kuempel Shine
	Capriglione Lambert Smith
	Clardy Landgraf Smithee
	Cole Lang Springer
	Coleman Larson Stephenson
	Collier Leach Stickland
	Cortez Leman Stucky
	Craddick Longoria Swanson
	Cyrier Lozano Talarico
	Darby Lucio III Thierry
	Davis of Dallas Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
	Davis of Harris Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
	Dean Metcalf Tinderholt
	Deshotel Meyer Toth
	Dominguez Meza Turner of Dallas
	Dutton Middleton Turner of Tarrant
	Farrar Miller VanDeaver
	Flynn Minjarez Vo
	Frank Moody Walle
	Frullo Morrison White
	Geren Muñoz, Jr. Wilson
	Gervin-Hawkins Murphy Wray
	Goldman Murr Wu
	González of Dallas Neave Zedler
	González of El Paso Nevárez Zerwas
	Goodwin Noble Zwiener
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 187 was adopted by the House on February
	5, 2019, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House