H.R. No. 305 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Texans and many other Americans are joining with our neighbors south of the Rio Grande on May 5, 2009, to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a holiday honoring the legendary Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862; and WHEREAS, After chafing under Spanish colonization for several centuries, Mexico declared itself a free and independent nation in 1821, but the transition from colonialism was a difficult one, and the mid-19th century saw the young nation struggling to maintain a stable government; imperial powers in Europe seeking to take advantage of Mexico's troubles and recover some of the rich territory they had lost during recent independence movements joined forces to invade the country in 1861; and WHEREAS, Although England and Spain eventually withdrew, the French army continued its invasion and by 1862 had begun the march inland toward Mexico City; led by the young general, Ignacio Seguin Zaragoza, a small, poorly armed Mexican militia countered the well-outfitted French soldiers at Puebla, a town southeast of the capital, and, despite being vastly outnumbered, prevailed and soundly defeated the French army; and WHEREAS, That victory at Puebla on May 5, 1862, was an important event in the history of the Republic of Mexico, for by conquering one of the world's finest military forces the courageous Mexican soldiers struck a blow against imperialism and foreign domination and marked an extraordinary triumph for Mexican independence and pride; and WHEREAS, Today, the anniversary of that famous battle is observed in many U.S. cities as well as in Mexico, but Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Texas are unique because they pay tribute to our shared heritage with Mexico; General Zaragoza, born in Presidio La Bahia near present-day Goliad, Texas, holds a distinctive place in history as a true Tejano, a son of both Texas and Mexico, and his determination to honor and defend "la patria," the homeland, is as inspiring now as it was more than a century ago; and WHEREAS, Cinco de Mayo pays homage to one of the truly notable events in Mexico's past while celebrating its music, food, art, and cherished traditions, and the annual event has truly become a special part of the rich cultural fabric of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby commemorate Cinco de Mayo, 2009, and encourage its observance around the state. Alonzo 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. 305 was adopted by the House on February 26, 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