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Regular Session, 2013 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 133
BY SENATOR LONG
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Robert "Bob" Harper upon his much deserved retirement
after forty-two years of service in state government.
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the citizens and the Senate of Louisiana have
learned of the much deserved retirement of Bob Harper; and
WHEREAS, Bob received his baccalaureate degree in political science from
Louisiana State University; and
WHEREAS, he began his career in state government on September 1, 1970, at the
State Library and then took a position as senior budget analyst at the Division of
Administration, where he worked for the office of planning and budget and participated in
the legislative appropriations cycles for twenty consecutive years; and
WHEREAS, in 1993, he was initially appointed to the position of undersecretary of
the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by Governor Edwin Edwards, and was
subsequently reappointed to the position by governors Mike Foster, Kathleen Blanco, and
Bobby Jindal, serving under both Democrats and Republicans, and confirmed six times by
the Louisiana Senate; and
WHEREAS, he will be remembered as the longest serving undersecretary in the
history of the cabinet-form of state government in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, as a result of his service with excellence and honor, he was appointed
as secretary of the Department of Natural Resources by Governor Jindal from June to
November 2010; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure as secretary Louisiana faced one of the worst natural
disasters in its history, with the explosion and sinking of the Deep Water Horizon drilling
rig under contract to British Petroleum America, and the resulting massive oil spill in the
Gulf of Mexico; and SR NO. 133 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, the disaster placed Secretary Harper, in the forefront of the Louisiana
effort, working closely with all levels of government in crafting and implementing a unified
response to that disaster embodying mitigation and ultimate relief, while maintaining
ordinary duties incumbent upon him; and
WHEREAS, he also served faithfully and tirelessly as undersecretary with the
administrations during response and recovery efforts following hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and
Gustav, all of which had major impacts on the state, and worked to ensure that adequate
volunteers staffed emergency operation centers and emergency shelters; and
WHEREAS, he served as an ex officio and often designee member of the State
Mineral and Energy Board, he has served on the Supervisory Committee of La Capitol
Federal Credit Union since 1996, and is currently serving as their vice chairman; and
WHEREAS, his management abilities and understanding of fiscal responsibility has
guided the Department of Natural Resources through recurring budget crisis during troubled
economic times, with minimal impact on services provided and department personnel; and
WHEREAS, after a long and distinguished career, Mr. Harper will finally be able to
spend time with the loves of his life, his wife Sherry Penney Harper and their dog Wilson.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Robert "Bob" Harper on forty-two years of service
in state government, and upon his much deserved retirement, and wishes him much success
in all his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Robert "Bob" Harper.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE