H.R. No. 2677
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The end of an era in Texas journalism has come with
the retirement of Paul Burka from Texas Monthly magazine in March
2015; and
WHEREAS, Born in Galveston, Mr. Burka earned a bachelor's
degree in history from Rice University and a law degree from The
University of Texas at Austin; he was accepted to the State Bar of
Texas, and he began his career as an attorney with the Texas
Legislature, where, as counsel to the Senate Natural Resources
Committee, he was able to closely observe state legislators in
their native habitat; and
WHEREAS, In March 1974, Mr. Burka submitted a Texas-themed
limerick puzzle to a new periodical called Texas Monthly, and the
following month he published his first story for the magazine,
earning $75 for a piece about the old baseball stadium at The
University of Texas; on October 1, 1974, he switched careers and
joined the magazine's staff full-time, working out of its original
offices at 15th and Guadalupe in downtown Austin; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Burka quickly became one of the magazine's
signature writers, crafting stylish and well-researched articles
about Texas barbecue, the Big Bend region, the Houston Astros, the
Southwest Conference, and noteworthy Texas authors; he won a
National Magazine Award for a two-part story on the oil tycoon
Clinton Menges in 1985, and he also won acclaim for his profile of
John Connally, a cover story calling the Chevy Suburban the
"National Car of Texas," an insightful article about the struggles
of a ranching family in Uvalde, and a moving piece about the Texas
A&M bonfire tragedy; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Mr. Burka has served the magazine and
its readers as a skilled editor of the work of other reporters, and
he has been a mentor and an inspiration to younger writers; and
WHEREAS, Above all, Mr. Burka has been, for many years, one
of the most knowledgeable, experienced, and influential
commentators on Texas politics, sharing his encyclopedic knowledge
of the Texas Legislature and its colorful history with the readers
of Texas Monthly and the popular Burka Blog, which he started in
2006, and to which he will occasionally continue to contribute; he
has also regularly explained the ways of Texas and Texans to the
viewers of Fox, MSNBC, NBC, and CNN, and he has inspired both fear
and delight in legislators as one of the creators of the magazine's
annual list of the 10 best and 10 worst legislators; and
WHEREAS, For more than 40 years, this brilliant reporter and
commentator has informed and enlightened readers of all political
persuasions with his deep and affectionate understanding of the
Lone Star State, and he may indeed take pride in the respect with
which he is regarded by generations of his fellow Texans; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Paul Burka on his retirement from
Texas Monthly and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued
success and happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Burka as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Raymond
Straus González Otto Straus González Otto
Straus González Otto
Allen Guerra Paddie Allen Guerra Paddie
Allen Guerra Paddie
Alonzo Guillen Parker Alonzo Guillen Parker
Alonzo Guillen Parker
Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Alvarado Gutierrez Paul
Alvarado Gutierrez Paul
Anchia Harless Peña Anchia Harless Peña
Anchia Harless Peña
Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan
Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan
Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips
Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips
Ashby Howard Pickett Ashby Howard Pickett
Ashby Howard Pickett
Aycock Huberty Price Aycock Huberty Price
Aycock Huberty Price
Bell Hughes Raney Bell Hughes Raney
Bell Hughes Raney
Bernal Hunter Raymond Bernal Hunter Raymond
Bernal Hunter Raymond
Blanco Isaac Reynolds Blanco Isaac Reynolds
Blanco Isaac Reynolds
Bohac Israel Riddle Bohac Israel Riddle
Bohac Israel Riddle
Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi
Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi
Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar
Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar
Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis
Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis
Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burns Keough Romero, Jr.
Burns Keough Romero, Jr.
Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Burrows King of Hemphill Rose
Burrows King of Hemphill Rose
Button King of Parker Sanford Button King of Parker Sanford
Button King of Parker Sanford
Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Canales King of Taylor Schaefer
Canales King of Taylor Schaefer
Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield
Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield
Clardy Klick Schubert Clardy Klick Schubert
Clardy Klick Schubert
Coleman Koop Shaheen Coleman Koop Shaheen
Coleman Koop Shaheen
Collier Krause Sheets Collier Krause Sheets
Collier Krause Sheets
Cook Kuempel Sheffield Cook Kuempel Sheffield
Cook Kuempel Sheffield
Craddick Landgraf Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simmons
Craddick Landgraf Simmons
Crownover Larson Simpson Crownover Larson Simpson
Crownover Larson Simpson
Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Cyrier Laubenberg Smith
Cyrier Laubenberg Smith
Dale Leach Smithee Dale Leach Smithee
Dale Leach Smithee
Darby Longoria Spitzer Darby Longoria Spitzer
Darby Longoria Spitzer
Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer
Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer
Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson
Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson
Deshotel Márquez Stickland Deshotel Márquez Stickland
Deshotel Márquez Stickland
Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Elkins McClendon Tinderholt
Elkins McClendon Tinderholt
Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin
Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin
Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris
Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris
Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant
Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant
Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver
Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver
Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba
Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba
Fletcher Minjarez Vo Fletcher Minjarez Vo
Fletcher Minjarez Vo
Flynn Moody Walle Flynn Moody Walle
Flynn Moody Walle
Frank Morrison White of Bell Frank Morrison White of Bell
Frank Morrison White of Bell
Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
Galindo Murphy Workman Galindo Murphy Workman
Galindo Murphy Workman
Geren Murr Wray Geren Murr Wray
Geren Murr Wray
Giddings Naishtat Wu Giddings Naishtat Wu
Giddings Naishtat Wu
Goldman Nevárez Zedler Goldman Nevárez Zedler
Goldman Nevárez Zedler
Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas
Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2677 was adopted by the House on May 19,
2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus González Otto
Allen Guerra Paddie
Alonzo Guillen Parker
Alvarado Gutierrez Paul
Anchia Harless Peña
Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan
Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips
Ashby Howard Pickett
Aycock Huberty Price
Bell Hughes Raney
Bernal Hunter Raymond
Blanco Isaac Reynolds
Bohac Israel Riddle
Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi
Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar
Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis
Burns Keough Romero, Jr.
Burrows King of Hemphill Rose
Button King of Parker Sanford
Canales King of Taylor Schaefer
Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield
Clardy Klick Schubert
Coleman Koop Shaheen
Collier Krause Sheets
Cook Kuempel Sheffield
Craddick Landgraf Simmons
Crownover Larson Simpson
Cyrier Laubenberg Smith
Dale Leach Smithee
Darby Longoria Spitzer
Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer
Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson
Deshotel Márquez Stickland
Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
Elkins McClendon Tinderholt
Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin
Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris
Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant
Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver
Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba
Fletcher Minjarez Vo
Flynn Moody Walle
Frank Morrison White of Bell
Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
Galindo Murphy Workman
Geren Murr Wray
Giddings Naishtat Wu
Goldman Nevárez Zedler
Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas