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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Republican Party marked the 169th anniversary of |
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its founding on March 20, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, Also known as the Grand Old Party, the national |
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Republican Party traces its origins to 1854, when abolitionists in |
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Ripon, Wisconsin, established a political group to fight the |
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expansion of slavery and oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which gave |
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the Kansas and Nebraska territories the option to allow slavery in |
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those areas; the party's first national convention was held in |
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 22, 1856, and its first |
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nominating convention was held later that same year; early leaders |
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of the party included American explorer John C. Fremont, the first |
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Republican to run for president, and Abraham Lincoln, the first |
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Republican to be elected president; and |
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WHEREAS, In response to President Lincoln's victory in 1860, |
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pro-slavery states seceded from the Union and the nation was |
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launched into civil war; following the conflict, Republicans played |
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an instrumental role in passing the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments |
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to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery, provided equal |
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protection under the law, and guaranteed voting rights; the party |
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also guided the women's suffrage movement and strongly supported |
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the 19th Amendment, and Republican lawmakers later worked with |
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Democrat President Lyndon B. Johnson to pass the Civil Rights Act of |
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1964; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, the Republican Party strives to promote |
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liberty and economic prosperity while preserving American values |
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and traditions; since the advent of the modern party system in 1857, |
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19 Republicans have served as president, and many more have held |
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seats in Congress; and |
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WHEREAS, The Republican Party has helped generations of |
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Americans become more informed and involved in the nation's |
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political system, and its members may indeed take pride in their |
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rich history of civic engagement; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 169th anniversary of the |
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founding of the Republican Party and extend to all those associated |
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with the party sincere best wishes for the future. |