H.C.R. No. 141
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st president of
the United States, has served the American people with honor and
distinction over the course of an exemplary career in public life;
and
WHEREAS, Born in Milton, Massachusetts, on June 12, 1924, to
U.S. Senator Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush, George H. W.
Bush hailed from a family with a proud tradition of government and
business leadership; he attended Phillips Academy in Andover, and
on his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy; on earning his
wings at the completion of flight school, he was among the youngest
pilots serving in World War II, and he eventually flew a total of 58
combat missions in the war and earned the Distinguished Flying
Cross for his bravery in action; and
WHEREAS, George Bush attended Yale University, where he was a
member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society; after graduating with a
degree in economics in 1948, he found success working in the oil
industry in West Texas; his entrance into politics came in 1963,
when he was named chair of the Harris County Republican Party, and
he was later elected to two terms in the U.S. Congress as a
representative from Texas; highly respected by his peers in public
service, he received appointments to a series of high-level
positions, including ambassador to the United Nations, chair of the
Republican National Committee, chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in
China, and director of the Central Intelligence Agency; and
WHEREAS, This accomplished leader was selected as Ronald
Reagan's running mate during the 1980 presidential campaign, and in
his role as vice president of the United States from 1981 to 1989,
he focused on federal deregulation, antidrug programs, and other
domestic policy areas; in 1988, he became the Republican nominee
for president, and following his victory in the November election,
he took office as the nation's chief executive; and
WHEREAS, His presidency coincided with a time of many
significant changes in the world, including the end of the Cold War,
the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the fall of the Berlin
Wall; noted for his skillful handling of foreign affairs, President
Bush worked toward improved relations with Russia and oversaw the
U.S. military's removal of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega; in
response to the invasion of Kuwait directed by Iraqi president
Saddam Hussein in 1990, he assembled an unprecedented coalition of
32 nations to drive out the Iraqi forces, an action that is widely
viewed as his greatest presidential achievement; and
WHEREAS, During and after his time in office, President Bush
has championed the cause of public and community service; in 2011,
he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President
Barack Obama in recognition of his efforts to inspire volunteerism
in communities across the country, and Points of Light, the
foundation that he established in 1990, continues to engage
millions of people to become agents of positive change; in 2005, he
joined forces with former president Bill Clinton to lead a
fund-raiser for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and the
initiative collected more than $100 million in donations in a
matter of months; and
WHEREAS, By his side in all his endeavors has been his wife,
Barbara Bush, whom he married in 1945; the couple are the parents of
six children, and they have proudly supported the political careers
of their sons George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president of
the United States from 2001 to 2009, and Jeb Bush, who was governor
of Florida from 1999 to 2007, as well as that of their grandson
George P. Bush, who was elected Texas land commissioner in 2014; and
WHEREAS, In President George H. W. Bush's own words, "Any
definition of a successful life must include serving others," and
this esteemed statesman has exemplified this ideal through his
myriad contributions in the public realm; his patriotism and
principled leadership have made him a revered figure in his adopted
home state, and the naming of the future building at 1801 Congress
Avenue in the Capitol Complex would indeed provide a fitting
tribute to his legacy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby direct the Texas Facilities Commission to name the future
building at 1801 Congress Avenue, as shown in the 2016 Texas Capitol
Complex Master Plan, the George H. W. Bush State Office Building in
honor of former president George H. W. Bush and his steadfast
commitment to our state and nation; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
copy of this resolution to the chair and to the executive director
of the Texas Facilities Commission.
Murphy
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 141 was adopted by the House on
April 27, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 1, 3 present,
not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 141 was adopted by the Senate on May
4, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor