H.R. No. 280 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Phil Taylor of Frisco has turned his artistic talent to a patriotic purpose through the American Fallen Soldiers Project; and WHEREAS, Founded by Mr. Taylor and his wife, Lisa, this nonprofit organization presents families with portraits of their loved ones who have died in service to our country; the artist volunteers his labor and materials are paid for by the organization, which has given portraits to more than two dozen families; and WHEREAS, The project grew out of a tragedy that touched the Taylor family in 2007; a friend of their youngest daughter was killed in a motorcycle accident shortly before his high school graduation, and Mr. Taylor decided to paint a portrait of the young man for his parents; their heartfelt gratitude inspired him to offer solace to a friend whose brother had been killed in Iraq by painting a portrait of the brave captain; and WHEREAS, Recognizing that there are many families grieving the loss of service members, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor established the Texas Fallen Soldiers Project; eventually, word of the program spread, and they began receiving requests for portraits from around the country; they changed the name of the organization to reflect its wider reach and are building their staff and raising funds through such events as a golf tournament and honors banquet; and WHEREAS, Mr. Taylor apprenticed under noted visual artist Brad Smith and has painted numerous commissioned portraits; by sharing his gifts with Gold Star families, he has not only provided consolation but also created lasting memorials to honor the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice; the American Fallen Soldiers Project is an inspirational expression of respect and profound appreciation for our military heroes and their families; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby honor Phil Taylor for his contributions and commend all those associated with the American Fallen Soldiers Project for their patriotism and compassion; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the American Fallen Soldiers Project as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Paxton McCall 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. 280 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