| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 426 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, Ambassador John Bruton, Head of the Delegation of |
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| 3 | 3 | | the Commission of the European Community in the United States of |
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| 4 | 4 | | America, is visiting Texas, and this occasion provides a welcome |
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| 5 | 5 | | opportunity to honor the many achievements of this admired |
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| 6 | 6 | | political leader and statesman; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, A native of Ireland who was educated at University |
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| 8 | 8 | | College Dublin, Ambassador Bruton was first elected to the Irish |
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| 9 | 9 | | Parliament in 1969 at age 22; over the ensuing decades, he held a |
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| 10 | 10 | | number of important government positions, including minister for |
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| 11 | 11 | | finance, minister for industry and energy, and minister for |
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| 12 | 12 | | trade, commerce, and tourism; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, In 1990, he became the leader of the Fine Gael |
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| 14 | 14 | | Party, and when he led the party into government in 1994, he took |
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| 15 | 15 | | office as Ireland's prime minister; during the three years that |
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| 16 | 16 | | he guided the government, he helped bring about the phenomenal |
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| 17 | 17 | | economic growth that earned the country the nickname of "Celtic |
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| 18 | 18 | | Tiger"; in addition, he was instrumental in a number of other |
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| 19 | 19 | | important developments, including negotiations that led to the |
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| 20 | 20 | | Good Friday Agreement of 1998 that has eased tensions in Northern |
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| 21 | 21 | | Ireland; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Ambassador Bruton's involvement with the European |
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| 23 | 23 | | Union began during his tenure as prime minister, and he later |
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| 24 | 24 | | served as a leading member of the convention that drafted the |
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| 25 | 25 | | proposed European Constitution; in 1999, he became one of the 10 |
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| 26 | 26 | | vice presidents of the European People's Party and continued in |
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| 27 | 27 | | that role until 2004, when he was appointed the head of the |
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| 28 | 28 | | European Union Commission to the United States; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Since beginning his work in Washington, D.C., |
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| 30 | 30 | | Ambassador Bruton has consulted with the United States |
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| 31 | 31 | | president, members of congress, and other senior political and |
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| 32 | 32 | | business figures, and his skilled diplomacy has helped foster |
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| 33 | 33 | | cooperation between the European Union and the United States on a |
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| 34 | 34 | | range of urgent issues; these endeavors, as well as his many |
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| 35 | 35 | | other impressive accomplishments, have distinguished John Bruton |
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| 36 | 36 | | as a leader of rare ability, and it is an honor to welcome him to |
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| 37 | 37 | | the State of Texas; now, therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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| 39 | 39 | | Legislature, hereby pay tribute to Ambassador John Bruton, Head |
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| 40 | 40 | | of the Delegation of the Commission of the European Community in |
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| 41 | 41 | | the United States of America, and extend to him sincere best |
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| 42 | 42 | | wishes for a productive and enjoyable visit to the Lone Star |
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| 43 | 43 | | State; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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| 45 | 45 | | prepared for Ambassador Bruton as an expression of high regard |
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| 46 | 46 | | from the Texas Senate. |
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| 47 | 47 | | Zaffirini |
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| 48 | 48 | | ________________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | President of the Senate |
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| 50 | 50 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 51 | 51 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 52 | 52 | | the Senate on March 16, 2009. |
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| 53 | 53 | | ________________________________ |
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| 54 | 54 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 55 | 55 | | ________________________________ |
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| 56 | 56 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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