H.R. No. 127
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Linda Chavez-Thompson, executive vice president
emerita of the AFL-CIO, has dedicated herself to America's workers
for more than 40 years, forging new pathways for the labor movement;
and
WHEREAS, A second-generation American of Mexican descent,
Ms. Chavez-Thompson was born and raised in the Lubbock area; she
began laboring long hours in the fields with her father at the age
of 10; her formal education ended after the ninth grade, when family
circumstances forced her to work full-time picking cotton and
cleaning houses; she never ceased to study, however, and her
extraordinary career began at 24, when a family friend who could not
speak Spanish hired her as his bilingual secretary at the local
chapter of the Laborers International Union; her skill and keen
intelligence led to a job overseeing tornado relief efforts for the
AFL-CIO in 1971, and later that year she was hired by the American
Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Chavez-Thompson rose through the ranks as an
organizer and went on to serve with great distinction as an
international vice president of the AFSCME; she also served as
national vice president of the AFL-CIO Labor Council for Latin
American Advancement; in 1993, she was elected as a vice president
of the executive council of the national AFL-CIO, and two years
later she was elected executive vice president of the federation,
becoming the first person of color to hold one of its three highest
offices; and
WHEREAS, During her 12 years as the highest ranking woman in
organized labor, Ms. Chavez-Thompson helped reinvigorate the
movement by using innovative methods to connect with new
constituencies, including women, minorities, and immigrants;
demonstrating profound compassion for those facing discrimination
and exploitation, she focused on civil rights, human rights, and
community issues and built valuable coalitions with outside
organizations and religious groups; her endeavors have been
recognized with such accolades as the 2008 Farmworker Justice
Award, a Mother Jones Award from the Coalition of Labor Union Women,
and the 2003 Latina of the Year Award from CATALINA magazine and
Hispanas Organized for Political Equality; and
WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan retired to San Antonio in
September 2007 to spend more time with her children and
grandchildren, but she remains active as executive vice president
emerita, as chair of the AFL-CIO Immigration Committee, and as
president of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas; in
2008, she led an AFL-CIO fact-finding delegation to Colombia and
aided the federation's campaign to protect the voting rights of
Hispanic citizens; moreover, she serves as a vice chair of the
Democratic National Committee and as the labor representative to
the Public Board of Trustees of the San Antonio Transit Authority;
and
WHEREAS, For more than four decades, Linda Chavez-Thompson
has been a bold and effective champion of American workers; her
efforts to combat social and economic injustice have helped
countless people realize their dreams of a better life; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby commend Linda Chavez-Thompson for her
remarkable contributions to workers' issues and civil and human
rights and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Chavez-Thompson as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.
McClendon
Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pena Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 127 was adopted by the House on
February 10, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pena
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas