H.R. No. 939
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, For many years, the gifted actor Gary Sinise has
dedicated his time, energy, and resources to the cause of American
service members and veterans, and his work on their behalf truly
merits special recognition; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sinise's acclaimed performances on stage and
screen have earned him a Golden Globe, an Emmy, two Screen Actors
Guild awards, and three Tony nominations; his notable film roles
include Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump, George Milton in Of
Mice and Men, and Ken Mattingly in Apollo 13, while on television he
has played Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, Harry S. Truman in
Truman, and Detective Mac Taylor on 197 episodes of CSI: New York;
most recently, he has been FBI agent Jack Garrett on Criminal Minds;
and
WHEREAS, From the earliest days of his career, Mr. Sinise has
served as an advocate for all who have ever worn a uniform of this
nation's armed forces; in the 1980s, he sponsored free dinners and
performances for veterans at the Steppenwolf Theatre, the famed
company he helped to found in Chicago, and in recent years, he has
entertained troops at home and abroad with the Lt. Dan Band, named
after his character from Forrest Gump, raising money for wounded
warriors and their families; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sinise has also been a spokesperson for the
American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Foundation and the
Disabled American Veterans, and he has led efforts to raise funds
for the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Brooklyn
Wall of Remembrance in New York; he sits on the executive councils
of the USO and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation and on
the advisory board of Hope for the Warriors; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, Mr. Sinise established the Gary Sinise
Foundation, which serves and honors our nation's defenders,
veterans, and first responders and their families; its outreach
efforts include building custom smart homes for severely wounded
veterans, providing departing troops with hearty meals, and
launching a website, GetSkillstoWork.org, designed to help
veterans find civilian jobs; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of his commitment to our military men
and women, Mr. Sinise has received the Bob Hope Award for
Excellence in Entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor
Society, the Spirit of Hope Award from the U.S. Department of
Defense, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; he is only the third
actor to ever receive the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's
second-highest civilian award, and in 2012, he was named an
honorary chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy; and
WHEREAS, Whether he is portraying veterans and police
officers with dignity and integrity, performing his music for
troops on remote military bases, or advocating on their behalf at
home, Gary Sinise has proven to be a true patriot and a tireless
champion for our military personnel and veterans; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize Gary Sinise as an honorary Texan and
commend him for his lifelong commitment to America's service
members and veterans; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Sinise as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Parker
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 939 was adopted by the House on March
19, 2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House