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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A distinguished delegation from South Texas is |
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visiting Austin on February 5, 2019, to celebrate Rio Grande Valley |
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Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Enjoying a strategic location on the Gulf of Mexico |
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and along the Mexican border, the Rio Grande Valley was an important |
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ranching region when Texas became the nation's 28th state in 1845; |
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over time, the economy shifted from ranching to agriculture, and |
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the Valley became the state's center of citrus and vegetable |
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production; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1960s, industry flourished and international |
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trade became increasingly prominent; the region has contributed |
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significantly to the tremendous increase in commerce across the |
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United States-Mexico border, with more than 946,000 trucks, 11.7 |
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million cars carrying 24.3 million passengers, 28,000 buses |
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carrying over 300,000 passengers, and 6.2 million pedestrians |
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crossing Rio Grande Valley ports of entry and averaging more than |
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$140 million in goods and services per day, with over $51 billion |
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in commercial trade per year flowing across 13 land ports of entry; |
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the Rio Grande Valley is an economic powerhouse for the State of |
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Texas with approximately $12.5 billion in taxable sales recorded in |
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reporting year 2018; and |
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WHEREAS, The Valley has over 1.5 million residents, with |
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approximately 600,000 individuals under the age of 25, and local |
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and state officials have focused on the need to expand access to |
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higher education and health care, strengthen the workforce, |
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increase transportation and ports of entry infrastructure, and |
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increase funding for public education; The University of Texas Rio |
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Grande Valley serves over 28,600 students; the UTRGV School of |
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Medicine is in its third year of operation with 155 medical students |
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and 169 medical residents in 10 GME programs and over 20 patient |
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care sites; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas A&M University System recently opened its |
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McAllen Higher Education Center, which will be linked to the campus |
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in College Station and will offer programs in engineering, |
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technology, biomedical sciences, agriculture, and laboratory |
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sciences; and |
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WHEREAS, The six higher education institutions in the Rio |
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Grande Valley, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M |
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University McAllen Higher Education Center, Texas A&M University |
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Health Science Center, South Texas College, Texas Southmost |
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College, and Texas State Technical College, serve a student |
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population of over 70,000; and |
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WHEREAS, Major sponsors for the day's legislative event |
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include The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M |
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University, Texas Southmost College, the City of McAllen, the City |
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of Edinburg, the City of Weslaco, the City of Pharr, the City of |
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Brownsville, the Port of Brownsville, the Lower Rio Grande Valley |
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Development Council, the Starr County Industrial Foundation, |
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Willacy County, and the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, as well as |
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several private sector businesses, such as Pathfinder Public |
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Affairs, Atlas, Hall & Rodriguez, LLP, IBC Bank, Texas Gas Service, |
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Uber, and The Coca-Cola Company, all of which are promoting greater |
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regional cooperation in the 21st century; and |
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WHEREAS, A vibrant region with a rich heritage, the Rio |
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Grande Valley is poised to take advantage of tremendous |
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opportunities for continued economic development, and it is indeed |
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most fitting to honor Valley residents for their dedication to |
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building a bright and prosperous future for the area; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 5, 2019, as Rio Grande Valley |
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Day at the State Capitol and extend to all participants sincere best |
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wishes for a productive and enjoyable visit. |