H.R. No. 2159 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The Honorable D. R. Uher of Bay City is being recognized on May 18, 2009, by Bay City Masonic Lodge No. 865 with that organization's Community Builder Award; and WHEREAS, The Community Builder Award was adopted by the Grand Lodge of Texas in 1991 to serve as a means by which local Masonic lodges might recognize non-Masons who have distinguished themselves through their service to the community; and WHEREAS, "Tom" Uher is well known in Bay City for his outstanding service in the Texas House of Representatives, his staunch support of local community and church undertakings, and his significant encouragement of Masonic projects; and WHEREAS, Initially elected to the 60th Texas Legislature, this esteemed Texan represented the people of Matagorda County and its vicinity for some 3-1/2 decades; during that time, his committee chairmanships included those of the state affairs and redistricting committees and the higher education subcommittee on budget and oversight; his laid-back style, disciplined work ethic, and independent thinking served him well as he successfully passed important legislation that impacted almost every aspect of our society and that continues to benefit his district and this state; and WHEREAS, The longest continually serving member of the house during his last 10 years in office, Mr. Uher held the post of speaker pro tempore from 1993 until 2003; as an elder statesman in the legislature, he reached out to new members regardless of their party affiliation and offered them guidance and assistance; and WHEREAS, Widely acclaimed as the embodiment of a true public servant, Mr. Uher has received many statewide accolades, including selection as one of the 10 best legislators by Texas Monthly and one of the top 11 legislators by the Texas Civil Justice League; he was also designated as the Outstanding House Chairman by the Texas Lawman, Representative of the Year by the Texas Game Warden Association, and Outstanding Legislator by the Texas Junior College Association; among the many other tributes conferred on him have been the Legislative Leadership Award of the Texas Chamber of Commerce, the Distinguished Service Award of the Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas, and the White Hat Award of the Texas Farmers Union; and WHEREAS, Just as Mr. Uher was always available to his constituents, he has always given generously of his time and talents to a host of church and community projects in the Bay City area; a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bay City, he serves his fellow congregants as a Sunday school teacher and elder; moreover, he remains deeply interested in the state's educational system and sits on the board of directors of the Wharton County Junior College Foundation; and WHEREAS, In his professional life, Mr. Uher maintains an active legal practice and serves as a member of the Prosperity Bank--South Texas Board of Directors; and WHEREAS, Tom Uher is the devoted husband of Ann Uher, his wife of 46 years, and the proud father of three children, Robert, Christi Jo, and Catherine; he delights in spending time with his grandson, Christopher, and coaches his basketball squad and minor league Astros baseball team; and WHEREAS, Mr. Uher has consistently supported the work of Bay City Masonic Lodge No. 865 and is especially admired by the members of that lodge for his sterling character and for his immeasurable contributions to Bay City and to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Tom Uher on his receipt of the Community Builder Award from Masonic Lodge No. 865 and commend him for his exceptional record of public service; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Uher as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Bonnen 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 Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea 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. 2159 was adopted by the House on May 15, 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 Pea 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