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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, A highly respected figure in the Texas Legislature |
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and the United States Congress, Mickey Leland left behind a legacy |
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of service that continues to resonate across the Lone Star State and |
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beyond; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Lubbock on November 27, 1944, George Thomas |
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"Mickey" Leland III grew up in Houston's Fifth Ward; he graduated |
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from Phillis Wheatley High School in 1964 and went on to earn a |
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bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Texas Southern University; while |
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attending college, he distinguished himself as a dedicated activist |
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for the Civil Rights Movement in Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1972, Mr. Leland became one of five minority |
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candidates, dubbed the "People's Five," to run for seats in the |
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Texas House of Representatives; he was elected to represent the |
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88th District, and over the course of his tenure, he gained a |
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reputation for his contributions to health care policy; he played |
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an instrumental role in the passage of legislation that expanded |
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access to affordable generic drugs, and he supported the creation |
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of health maintenance organizations; a member of numerous |
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committees, he held the office of vice chair of the Joint Committee |
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on Prison Reform, and he was the first African American to serve on |
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the Senate-House Conference Committee as a member of the House |
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Appropriations Committee; and |
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WHEREAS, Following six years in the state legislature, |
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Mr. Leland won election to the United States House of |
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Representatives in November 1978; he took on the role of freshman |
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majority whip in his first term, and he later served twice as |
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at-large majority whip; a leader on the issue of food insecurity, he |
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founded the House Select Committee on Hunger, secured funding for |
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famine relief, and won passage of bills providing fresh produce to |
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low-income families and food and medical resources for the |
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homeless; he also helped establish the National Commission on AIDS |
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and served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus from 1985 to |
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1987; moreover, he won praise from the State Department for |
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arranging the release of four Americans imprisoned in Cuba; he |
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tragically passed away in a plane crash on August 7, 1989, while on |
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a mission trip in Ethiopia; and |
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WHEREAS, Congressman Mickey Leland made vital contributions |
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to our state and nation, and the naming of a state building in his |
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honor would be a fitting tribute to this trailblazing public |
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servant; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby direct the Texas Facilities Commission to name the new state |
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building being constructed in Phase Two of the Texas Capitol |
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Complex Master Plan at the northwest corner of Congress Avenue and |
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15th Street in honor of Texas Congressman and State Representative |
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Mickey Leland; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official |
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copy of this resolution to the chair and executive director of the |
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Texas Facilities Commission. |