Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas House Bill HCR127 Compare Versions

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1	1	82R13085 MGR-D
2	2	By: Naishtat H.C.R. No. 127
3	3
4	4
5	5	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
6	6	WHEREAS, The year 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the
7	7	birth of Lady Bird Johnson, and that occasion provides a fitting
8	8	opportunity to remember the former first lady for her tireless
9	9	efforts to preserve the natural beauty of our state and nation; and
10	10	WHEREAS, Born on December 22, 1912, in Karnack, the former
11	11	Claudia Alta Taylor spent many hours of her childhood paddling on
12	12	Caddo Lake under ancient cypress trees, and those early experiences
13	13	awakened in her a lifelong love of nature; she earned bachelor's
14	14	degrees in history and journalism from The University of Texas at
15	15	Austin and met Lyndon Baines Johnson shortly after graduating; they
16	16	married on November 17, 1934; and
17	17	WHEREAS, Mrs. Johnson distinguished herself as a successful
18	18	businesswoman and political campaigner in the ensuing years; she
19	19	helped her husband immensely in his bids for a seat in Congress and
20	20	then in the U.S. Senate; along the way, she became the mother of two
21	21	daughters, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines; Mrs. Johnson's graceful
22	22	presence at her husband's side when he was thrust into the
23	23	presidency in November 1963 after the Kennedy assassination helped
24	24	to reassure a deeply saddened nation facing an unexpected
25	25	transition; and
26	26	WHEREAS, Soon after President Johnson was elected to his
27	27	first full term in 1964, Mrs. Johnson began her work in the area of
28	28	conservation and beautification; one of the most important results
29	29	of her work was the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, which
30	30	encouraged scenic enhancement and wildflower planting along
31	31	roadsides, and paved the way for today's requirement that at least
32	32	one-quarter of one percent of funds spent on landscaping projects
33	33	in the highway system be used to plant native wildflowers; and
34	34	WHEREAS, In 1964, Mrs. Johnson sought to make our nation's
35	35	capital a garden city and a model for the rest of the country,
36	36	planting flowers on the National Mall and throughout parks in
37	37	low-income neighborhoods and persuading private businesses to
38	38	undertake similar efforts; she also focused the country's attention
39	39	on America's natural treasures by visiting historic sites, national
40	40	parks, and scenic areas; and
41	41	WHEREAS, Among the major legislative initiatives passed
42	42	during the Johnson administration were the Wilderness Act of 1964,
43	43	the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Wild and Scenic Rivers
44	44	program, additions to the National Park system, and 200
45	45	environmental laws; in a tribute to his wife's work, President
46	46	Johnson presented her in 1968 with 50 pens used to sign 50 laws
47	47	related to conservation and beautification; and
48	48	WHEREAS, After returning to her home state with her husband
49	49	in 1969, Mrs. Johnson devoted herself to the landscape of Texas; she
50	50	was a leading force behind the establishment of Austin's hike and
51	51	bike trail, and for two decades she supported beautification by
52	52	personally giving awards to districts that used native Texas plants
53	53	and scenery to the best advantage in their planning; and
54	54	WHEREAS, With her friend, actress Helen Hayes, Mrs. Johnson
55	55	founded in 1982 what is now the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center;
56	56	a component of The University of Texas at Austin, the center is a
57	57	national leader in research, education, and the development of
58	58	projects that promote sustainability and the use of native plants
59	59	that help to conserve water, minimize the use of fertilizers and
60	60	pesticides, and convey a unique sense of place; the center sponsors
61	61	a national, voluntary rating system for sustainable landscapes,
62	62	collects millions of seeds for preservation and restoration, and
63	63	consults on related issues with corporations, national parks, and
64	64	urban developments; and
65	65	WHEREAS, A deeply engaged citizen and visionary, Mrs. Johnson
66	66	passed away on July 11, 2007, but her legacy lives on in the scenic
67	67	vistas of wildflowers that line so many of the Lone Star State's
68	68	roadways, and we, as Texans, are fortunate beneficiaries of her
69	69	devotion to the natural world; now, therefore, be it
70	70	RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
71	71	hereby designate the year 2012 as the Lady Bird Johnson Centennial
72	72	Year in observance of the 100th anniversary of the birth of this
73	73	beloved First Lady.