81R6364 MMS-D
By: Anderson H.C.R. No. 63
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Laura Bush has combined a
gentle graciousness and elegance with a passion for causes of the
most fundamental importance, and her fellow Texans are proud to
claim her as one of their own; and
WHEREAS, Born and raised in Midland, the former Laura Lane
Welch graduated with a degree in education from Southern Methodist
University in 1968 and earned a master of library science degree
from The University of Texas at Austin in 1973; she worked as a
teacher and librarian in Dallas, Houston, and Austin before
marrying George W. Bush in Midland in 1977; and
WHEREAS, Keenly aware that an ability to read is vital to a
child's ability to learn, Mrs. Bush launched major initiatives to
promote literacy skills among children, especially those from
disadvantaged backgrounds, after becoming the First Lady of Texas
in 1995; in related undertakings, she introduced programs to foster
parenting skills and encourage communities to develop family
literacy programs; she was also instrumental in founding the Texas
Book Festival, which premiered in 1996; a fund-raiser for Texas
public libraries, the gathering now ranks as one of the foremost
literary festivals in the country; and
WHEREAS, While living in the Governor's Mansion, Mrs. Bush
additionally advocated for breast cancer and Alzheimer's awareness
and research; she also opened several Rainbow Rooms, which provide
emergency supplies for abused and neglected children, and she
promoted a private-sector effort to provide additional resources to
caseworkers with Child Protective Services; and
WHEREAS, With her husband's swearing in as the 43rd president
of the United States in January 2001, Mrs. Bush immediately began
work; before the year was out, she had hosted, with sponsorship from
the Library of Congress, the first National Book Festival; since
its inception, attendance at that event has risen from
approximately 30,000 to more than 120,000; in November 2001,
Mrs. Bush also hosted the inaugural White House Salute to America's
Authors; and
WHEREAS, During her husband's presidency, Mrs. Bush
supported an array of programs intended to ensure that all young
children are ready to read and learn when they enter school and that
they have qualified, well-trained teachers, especially in the
poorest neighborhoods; she hosted two White House summits in
connection with that initiative, as well as White House Conferences
on School Libraries and Global Literacy, and she championed
legislation to address a national shortage of librarians; in 2003,
she was named an Honorary Ambassador for the United Nations Decade
of Literacy; and
WHEREAS, In conjunction with her Women's Health and Wellness
Initiative, Mrs. Bush served as national ambassador for the Heart
Truth campaign to raise awareness about heart disease among women,
and she worked closely with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast
cancer awareness and research campaign; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bush made numerous goodwill trips abroad,
including several to Africa, during which she promoted HIV/AIDS and
malaria awareness; she has advocated for women's rights in the
Middle East and has spoken out forcefully in support of the
pro-democracy movement in Myanmar; and
WHEREAS, Among the many honors she has received have been
awards from the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, the
Kuwait-America Foundation, the American Library Association,
Vanderbilt University, and Christian Freedom International; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bush is the mother of twin daughters, Jenna and
Barbara, who graduated in 2004 from UT-Austin and Yale University,
respectively, and she and President Bush have recently welcomed a
son-in-law, Jenna's husband, Henry Hager, into the family; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, Americans and people the world
over have come to know Laura Bush as a devoted wife, loving mother,
and deeply engaged citizen and humanitarian, and in both Austin and
the nation's capital, she leaves behind an inspiring legacy in her
role as First Lady; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby warmly welcome Laura Bush back to Texas and extend to her its
deep gratitude for her exceptional public service; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mrs. Bush as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives and Senate.