Bill Text: TX SR122 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing February 7, 2017, as Rio Grande Valley Day.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-02-07 - Reported enrolled [SR122 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SR122-Enrolled.html
|
||
WHEREAS, A distinguished delegation from South Texas is | ||
visiting Austin on February 7, 2017, to celebrate Rio Grande | ||
Valley Day at the State Capitol; and | ||
WHEREAS, Enjoying a strategic location on the Gulf of | ||
Mexico and along the Mexican border, the Rio Grande Valley was an | ||
important ranching region when Texas became the nation's 28th | ||
state in 1845; over time, the economy shifted from ranching to | ||
agriculture, and the Valley became the state's center of citrus | ||
and vegetable production; and | ||
WHEREAS, In the 1960s, industry flourished and international | ||
trade became increasingly prominent; the region has contributed | ||
significantly to the tremendous increase in commerce across the | ||
United States-Mexico border, with more than 800,000 trucks, 11.5 | ||
million cars, and 5.8 million pedestrians crossing Rio Grande | ||
Valley ports of entry and averaging more than $1.3 billion in goods | ||
and services per day; the Rio Grande Valley is an economic | ||
powerhouse for the State of Texas; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Valley has over 1.5 million residents, and | ||
local and state officials have focused on the need to expand | ||
access to higher education, strengthen the workforce, and | ||
introduce programs, such as SpaceX, which partnered with The | ||
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to create STARGATE and | ||
enables students to be involved in all aspects of space missions; | ||
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Medical School enrolled | ||
its first class of 55 medical students in July of 2016; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Texas A&M University System officially broke | ||
ground to expand in McAllen with a campus that will be linked to | ||
the campus in College Station and will offer programs in | ||
engineering, technology, biomedical sciences, agriculture, and | ||
the laboratory sciences; and | ||
WHEREAS, The focus for today's special legislative event is | ||
workforce development, transportation and border infrastructure, | ||
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Medical School funding, | ||
the Texas A&M University's Healthy South Texas initiative, and the | ||
Rio Grande Valley border image; major sponsors include The | ||
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M University, South | ||
Texas College, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | ||
Foundation, the City of McAllen, the City of Edinburg, the City of | ||
Weslaco, the Port of Brownsville, the Rio Grande Valley | ||
Partnership, the McAllen Convention and Visitors Bureau, the | ||
Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, the Weslaco Chamber of Commerce, the | ||
McAllen Chamber of Commerce, the Brownsville Community Improvement | ||
Corporation, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, the | ||
Mission Economic Development Corporation, the McAllen Economic | ||
Development Corporation, the Edinburg Economic Development | ||
Corporation, the Pharr Economic Development Corporation, the Rio | ||
South Texas Economic Council, the McAllen-Hidalgo International | ||
Bridge, the Anzalduas International Bridge, and the Food Bank of | ||
the Rio Grande Valley; several private sector businesses, such | ||
as the Warren Group Architects, BBVA Compass Bank, and IBC | ||
Bank, are also promoting greater regional cooperation in the | ||
21st century; and | ||
WHEREAS, A vibrant region with a rich heritage, the Rio | ||
Grande Valley is poised to take advantage of tremendous | ||
opportunities for continued economic development, and it is | ||
indeed most fitting to honor Valley residents for their | ||
dedication to building a bright and prosperous future for the | ||
area; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th | ||
Legislature, hereby recognize February 7, 2017, as Rio Grande | ||
Valley Day at the State Capitol and extend to all participants | ||
sincere best wishes for a productive and enjoyable visit. | ||
Hinojosa, Lucio, Zaffirini | ||
________________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on February 7, 2017. | ||
________________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate |