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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Throughout the 89th Legislative Session, State |
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Representative Cecil Bell Jr. has benefited immeasurably from the |
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outstanding work of his dedicated staff; and |
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WHEREAS, Travis Griffin has demonstrated exemplary |
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leadership during his two sessions as Chairman Bell's chief of |
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staff; he has served with the Texas Legislature for 11 legislative |
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sessions, including six as a chief of staff with the House of |
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Representatives; he previously acted as political director of the |
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Republican Party of Texas and as the first executive director of the |
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Innovation & Technology Caucus of the Texas House; in 2025, he is |
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marking 27 years in public service and political engagement; and |
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WHEREAS, Amy Rister has worked tirelessly to run the House |
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Intergovernmental Affairs Committee as Chairman Bell's committee |
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director; during her nine legislative session with the House, she |
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has served as chief of staff for four members and as director of |
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multiple committees; she has also used her clerking expertise at |
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Texas GOP conventions, and she volunteers with the Junior League |
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and holds the role of vice president for the Capitol Republican |
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Women; in August, she will be graduating with a master of |
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jurisprudence degree from Texas A&M University School of Law; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning for his second session on Chairman Bell's |
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staff, legislative director John Durr has provided invaluable |
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support by undertaking a wide variety of challenging tasks, |
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including constituency services and policy analysis; a native of |
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Austin, he has worked for the Texas Legislature for seven sessions, |
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including four with the House of Representatives; and |
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WHEREAS, Having previously worked in Chairman Bell's office |
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during the 85th Legislative Session, district director Nira Miller |
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returned for the 88th and continues to play a vital role in managing |
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the representative's district office; a former congressional |
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staffer, she has also worked on congressional campaigns and |
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coordinated media relations for think tanks, government agencies, |
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and nonprofits; and |
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WHEREAS, In his first legislative session, Eric Parikakis has |
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served as assistant committee clerk to the House Intergovernmental |
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Affairs Committee; a native of Plano, he is the policy director of |
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the Texas Young Republicans; he is a graduate of Texas Christian |
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University and The University of Texas at Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, Quintin Lorenz joined Chairman Bell's staff this |
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session as an administrative and legislative aide, playing an |
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invaluable role in ensuring the smooth operation of both |
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legislative and administrative functions; a proud native of the Rio |
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Grande Valley and a Texas State University alumnus, he is committed |
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to advancing the Republican cause in Texas, whether by helping to |
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grow his local Young Republican chapter, by working for an office, |
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or by volunteering on the campaign trail; and |
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WHEREAS, Two remarkable interns from The University of Texas |
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at Austin, Emma Corbell and Connor Nihem, also served in the office |
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of Chairman Bell; their efforts have been invaluable, and they are |
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well prepared for success as they continue to pursue their academic |
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and professional dreams; and |
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WHEREAS, These esteemed public employees have performed |
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their duties with great skill and dedication, and they are indeed |
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deserving of special recognition for their fine work; 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 commend the staff of State Representative Cecil |
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Bell Jr. for their exemplary service and extend to them sincere best |
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wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for each member of the staff as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |