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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, For many years, the gifted actor Gary Sinise has |
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| 6 | 7 | | dedicated his time, energy, and resources to the cause of American |
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| 7 | 8 | | service members and veterans, and his work on their behalf truly |
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| 8 | 9 | | merits special recognition; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Sinise's acclaimed performances on stage and |
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| 10 | 11 | | screen have earned him a Golden Globe, an Emmy, two Screen Actors |
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| 11 | 12 | | Guild awards, and three Tony nominations; his notable film roles |
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| 12 | 13 | | include Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump, George Milton in Of |
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| 13 | 14 | | Mice and Men, and Ken Mattingly in Apollo 13, while on television he |
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| 14 | 15 | | has played Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, Harry S. Truman in |
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| 15 | 16 | | Truman, and Detective Mac Taylor on 197 episodes of CSI: New York; |
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| 16 | 17 | | most recently, he has been FBI agent Jack Garrett on Criminal Minds; |
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| 17 | 18 | | and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, From the earliest days of his career, Mr. Sinise has |
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| 19 | 20 | | served as an advocate for all who have ever worn a uniform of this |
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| 20 | 21 | | nation's armed forces; in the 1980s, he sponsored free dinners and |
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| 21 | 22 | | performances for veterans at the Steppenwolf Theatre, the famed |
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| 22 | 23 | | company he helped to found in Chicago, and in recent years, he has |
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| 23 | 24 | | entertained troops at home and abroad with the Lt. Dan Band, named |
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| 24 | 25 | | after his character from Forrest Gump, raising money for wounded |
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| 25 | 26 | | warriors and their families; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Sinise has also been a spokesperson for the |
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| 27 | 28 | | American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial Foundation and the |
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| 28 | 29 | | Disabled American Veterans, and he has led efforts to raise funds |
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| 29 | 30 | | for the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Brooklyn |
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| 30 | 31 | | Wall of Remembrance in New York; he sits on the executive councils |
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| 31 | 32 | | of the USO and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation and on |
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| 32 | 33 | | the advisory board of Hope for the Warriors; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, In 2011, Mr. Sinise established the Gary Sinise |
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| 34 | 35 | | Foundation, which serves and honors our nation's defenders, |
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| 35 | 36 | | veterans, and first responders and their families; its outreach |
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| 36 | 37 | | efforts include building custom smart homes for severely wounded |
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| 37 | 38 | | veterans, providing departing troops with hearty meals, and |
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| 38 | 39 | | launching a website, GetSkillstoWork.org, designed to help |
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| 39 | 40 | | veterans find civilian jobs; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, In recognition of his commitment to our military men |
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| 41 | 42 | | and women, Mr. Sinise has received the Bob Hope Award for |
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| 42 | 43 | | Excellence in Entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor |
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| 43 | 44 | | Society, the Spirit of Hope Award from the U.S. Department of |
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| 44 | 45 | | Defense, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; he is only the third |
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| 45 | 46 | | actor to ever receive the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's |
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| 46 | 47 | | second-highest civilian award, and in 2012, he was named an |
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| 47 | 48 | | honorary chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy; and |
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| 48 | 49 | | WHEREAS, Whether he is portraying veterans and police |
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| 49 | 50 | | officers with dignity and integrity, performing his music for |
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| 50 | 51 | | troops on remote military bases, or advocating on their behalf at |
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| 51 | 52 | | home, Gary Sinise has proven to be a true patriot and a tireless |
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| 52 | 53 | | champion for our military personnel and veterans; now, therefore, |
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| 53 | 54 | | be it |
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| 54 | 55 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 55 | 56 | | Legislature hereby recognize Gary Sinise as an honorary Texan and |
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| 56 | 57 | | commend him for his lifelong commitment to America's service |
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| 57 | 58 | | members and veterans; and, be it further |
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| 58 | 59 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 59 | 60 | | prepared for Mr. Sinise as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 60 | 61 | | House of Representatives. |
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