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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, John Ratcliffe of Heath was sworn in as director of |
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the Central Intelligence Agency on January 23, 2025; and |
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WHEREAS, The first former national intelligence director to |
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lead the CIA, Director Ratcliffe brings to his new role a wealth of |
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experience in national security; as director of national |
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intelligence, he led a shift in the intelligence community's |
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priorities to gain a strategic advantage over the People's Republic |
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of China, and he increased China-focused spending in the |
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intelligence community by 20 percent; as a member of the National |
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Space Council, he made the historic decision to add the U.S. Space |
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Force as the 18th member of the intelligence community, thereby |
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elevating space as a key intelligence domain; in addition, he |
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played an important role in numerous operations to remove |
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designated terrorist leaders from the battlefield; and |
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WHEREAS, Director Ratcliffe received the National Security |
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Medal, the country's highest honor in this realm, for his |
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achievements as both national intelligence director and as a member |
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of Congress; before his confirmation to the cabinet post, he |
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represented the Fourth Congressional District of Texas for more |
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than five years; he was a leading policymaker as a member of the |
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House Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Judiciary Committees; |
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moreover, he chaired the Homeland Security Subcommittee on |
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Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security |
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Technologies and oversaw the passage of more than a dozen major |
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cybersecurity bills; and |
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WHEREAS, During the George W. Bush administration, Director |
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Ratcliffe served as chief of anti-terrorism and national security |
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for the Eastern District of Texas; he was later appointed U.S. |
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attorney for the district; a former mayor of Heath, he has also |
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worked in the private sector as a consultant on national and |
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international security issues, and he has shared his expertise as a |
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member of numerous boards; he holds a bachelor's degree in |
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government and international studies from the University of Notre |
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Dame and a juris doctor degree from Southern Methodist University |
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School of Law; and |
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WHEREAS, John Ratcliffe has demonstrated an unyielding |
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commitment to national security throughout his noteworthy career in |
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public service, and as he takes on this exciting new challenge, he |
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may indeed reflect with pride on his accomplishments to date; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate John Ratcliffe on his appointment |
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as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for a successful tenure; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Director Ratcliffe as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |