H.R. No. 381 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Emilio De Los Santos III has been chosen as the 2010 recipient of the Dan Garcia Memorial Achievement Award presented by the Veterans County Service Officers Association of Texas; and WHEREAS, This prestigious annual honor recognizes the accomplishments of a county veterans service officer or assistant officer who has performed above and beyond the call of duty, who has been involved in all aspects of veterans' affairs, and who has been active in the community the officer serves; honorees must also display a record of continuing education and a patriotic spirit; and WHEREAS, Mr. De Los Santos earned the commendation as a result of his notable work to assist veterans in South Texas in achieving improved access to medical care and other services; he has been a leader in the movement to establish a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in the Rio Grande Valley so that veterans who live in the area do not need to make a five-hour trip to San Antonio for appointments; moreover, he helped galvanize local support for Proposition 8, a Texas constitutional amendment passed in 2009 to authorize funding for the construction and operation of VA hospitals; with the Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley, he has contributed to the creation of a VA health care center in Harlingen, and he continues to press for a full-service facility in the region; and WHEREAS, Mr. De Los Santos has been the director of the Hidalgo County Veterans Service Office since 2002; in that role, he helps veterans and their family members in preparing claims for compensation, insurance, pensions, educational benefits, and medical care, and he helps them with appearances at Board of Veterans' Appeals hearings; he also raises awareness about programs and benefits available for former service members through public speaking engagements and organizes outreach initiatives such as veteran enrollment fairs and welcome-home celebrations for returning military personnel; and WHEREAS, Committed to keeping elected officials in Austin and Washington informed of the needs of those he serves, Mr. De Los Santos has testified before the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress and promoted state legislation related to a homestead exemption for disabled veterans; he is a member of the regional board of directors of the Veterans County Service Officers Association of Texas and received the Outstanding Service Officer of the Year award in 2007; in addition, he was recently appointed by President Obama to the Selective Service System Local Board, and in 2010 he was chosen to be part of the VISN 17: VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network Veterans Advisory Board; and WHEREAS, A U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War era, Mr. De Los Santos was employed for three decades by the Weslaco Independent School District; he holds a master's degree in education and has also worked as Region One Adult Basic Education Service Center director; he has further distinguished himself as president of the Weslaco Mid Valley Lions Club, as commander of VFW Post 10464 in Weslaco, and through his involvement in Weslaco youth sports leagues; and WHEREAS, The dedication and enthusiasm Emilio De Los Santos has brought to his pursuits have made a positive difference in the lives of numerous Rio Grande Valley residents who valiantly served their nation in the armed forces, and his efforts in their behalf are truly deserving of recognition; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby honor Emilio De Los Santos III on being chosen as the recipient of the 2010 Dan Garcia Memorial Achievement Award presented by the Veterans County Service Officers Association of Texas and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. De Los Santos as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Pena Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 381 was adopted by the House on March 3, 2011, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas