H.R. No. 73 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Dr. Mario E. Ramirez has made immeasurable contributions to the provision of improved health care in South Texas; and WHEREAS, After completing his residency in 1950, Dr. Ramirez returned to Roma, his birthplace, to open that town's first family clinic, and for some years he was the only practicing physician in Starr County; in 1958, he founded Roma's first hospital, the Manuel Ramirez Memorial Clinic and Hospital, named for his grandfather; later, while also serving as county judge, he was instrumental in the creation of the Starr County Memorial Hospital and in the establishment of a hospital taxation district to fund its operation; when the new county hospital opened in Rio Grande City in 1975, Dr. Ramirez relocated to that community; and WHEREAS, This esteemed physician continued to practice family medicine until 1995, when he assumed the post of vice president for South Texas Programs at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; during his tenure in that office, he launched an initiative to encourage students in South Texas to pursue careers in the health sciences, and to date, more than 2,000 young Texans have participated in the Med Ed Program; after eight years with the health science center, Dr. Ramirez retired in 2007; and WHEREAS, Dr. Ramirez has worked tirelessly to draw attention to the needs of the medically underserved in South Texas, and to that end, he has held numerous leadership positions in national and statewide organizations and committees; to cite just two, he has served as president of both the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Academy of Family Physicians; in addition, he has long worked to advance the cause of higher education in this state, and his efforts in that regard have earned him gubernatorial appointments to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and The University of Texas System Board of Regents; and WHEREAS, The recipient of a host of accolades, Dr. Ramirez has been recognized by Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush; moreover, the establishment of the Dr. Mario E. Ramirez Distinguished Professorship in Family and Community Medicine at the UT School of Medicine at San Antonio and the naming of the medical library at the Regional Academic Health Center in Harlingen in his honor bear testament to the magnitude of his achievements; and WHEREAS, Over the course of his exemplary career, Dr. Mario Ramirez has served the residents of South Texas with the utmost skill, compassion, and determination, and his efforts have benefited untold numbers of individuals; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commend Dr. Mario E. Ramirez on his exceptional contributions to health care in South Texas and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Dr. Ramirez as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Guillen ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 73 was adopted by the House on June 28, 2011, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House