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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas draws immeasurable strength from |
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individuals such as José H. Villarreal, who has distinguished |
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himself in the course of his exemplary career; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of East Chicago, Indiana, Mr. Villarreal |
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began his career as a civil rights lawyer in Texas, and in 1988, he |
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became state assistant attorney general; he went on to hold senior |
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positions in the presidential campaigns for Bill Clinton, who also |
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appointed him associate director of the White House Office of |
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Presidential Personnel during his administration; in the early |
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1990s, he joined the law firm McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore, and by |
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the end of the decade, he had become a partner at Akin Gump Strauss |
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Hauer & Feld, specializing in public law, policy, and finance; |
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since his retirement in 2020, he has continued to serve Akin Gump as |
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a consultant; along the way, he has remained highly involved in |
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politics, playing an instrumental role in the presidential |
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campaigns for Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama; in 2010, |
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he was appointed U.S. commissioner general to the Shanghai World |
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Expo, and he was awarded the rank of ambassador by President Obama; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Villarreal has served on the boards of numerous |
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organizations, including the KIPP Foundation, the Center for |
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American Progress, the Cisneros Center for New Americans, the |
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U.S.-Mexico Foundation, Teach for America, Leadership for |
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Educational Equity, Close Up Foundation, and Fannie Mae; he has |
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also chaired the boards of the National Council of La Raza and the |
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New America Alliance, and he has helped to guide the board of the |
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Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute as vice chair; previously, |
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he was active on the boards of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Union |
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Pacific; and |
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WHEREAS, Among his many honors, Mr. Villarreal was included |
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in the 2025 class of inductees to the San Antonio Aviation and |
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Aerospace Hall of Fame, and in 2015, he received the Order of the |
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Aztec Eagle, the most prestigious decoration awarded by the Mexican |
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government; in addition, Purdue University presented him with a |
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Distinguished Alumni award in 2011, and the Indiana University |
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Maurer School of Law honored him as a member of its Academy of Law |
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Alumni Fellows in 2001; he holds a bachelor's degree in political |
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science from Purdue and a juris doctor degree from the IU School of |
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Law; and |
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WHEREAS, An esteemed legal professional and an engaged |
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citizen, José Villarreal has earned the respect and admiration of |
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innumerable people, and he may reflect with pride on his myriad |
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contributions; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend José H. Villarreal for his professional |
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and civic achievements and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Villarreal as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |