Bill Text: TX HR159 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 2nd Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Honoring Dr. Barney Graham for his role in developing COVID-19 vaccines.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-09-08 - Reported enrolled [HR159 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HR159-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 159 | ||
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Barney Graham has contributed significantly to | ||
| the development of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, and he is indeed | ||
| deserving of special recognition; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A graduate of Rice University in 1975, Dr. Graham | ||
| went on to earn his medical degree at the University of Kansas | ||
| School of Medicine and to obtain a Ph.D. in microbiology and | ||
| immunology from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; he | ||
| then joined the faculty at Vanderbilt as a professor of medicine | ||
| with a joint appointment in the department of microbiology and | ||
| immunology; in 2000, he became a founding investigator for the | ||
| Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and | ||
| Infectious Diseases, and he currently serves as deputy director of | ||
| the center and chief of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory and | ||
| Translational Science Core; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Over the course of his career, Dr. Graham has made | ||
| invaluable advancements in vaccine science; his work on respiratory | ||
| syncytial virus led to a breakthrough in the understanding of | ||
| coronaviruses and made possible a rapid response to the COVID-19 | ||
| pandemic; and | ||
| WHEREAS, During the race to provide COVID-19 vaccines, | ||
| Dr. Graham frequently collaborated with his longtime friend and | ||
| former colleague, Dr. Bill Gruber, who is senior vice president of | ||
| vaccine clinical research and development at Pfizer; Dr. Graham's | ||
| laboratory partnered with Moderna to develop a vaccine using a new, | ||
| gene-based technology, while Dr. Gruber oversaw a similar project | ||
| at Pfizer; the two communicated regularly to exchange information, | ||
| and both vaccines were authorized for use by the Food and Drug | ||
| Administration in late 2020; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Through his monumental efforts, Barney Graham has | ||
| helped alleviate suffering and save the lives of innumerable | ||
| people, and in so doing, he has earned the deep respect and | ||
| appreciation of all who are privileged to know him; now, therefore, | ||
| be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas | ||
| Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby honor Dr. Barney Graham for | ||
| his contributions to the development of COVID-19 vaccines and | ||
| extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his | ||
| important work; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for Dr. Graham as an expression of high regard by the Texas | ||
| House of Representatives. | ||
| Dominguez | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 159 was adopted by the House on | ||
| September 2, 2021, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
