85R8846 BPG-D
By: Rodriguez of Travis H.R. No. 1488
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Tom Smith is retiring as director of the Texas
office of Public Citizen on February 15, 2017, drawing to a close a
distinguished tenure with the organization that has spanned 32
years; and
WHEREAS, A dedicated advocate for the environment, ethics in
the public sphere, and campaign finance reform, "Smitty" Smith
joined Public Citizen in 1985; over the next three decades, he
helped to make Texas a national leader in renewable energy by
conducting studies, organizing supporters, and assembling
coalitions to push for wind and solar power; in addition, he worked
with state policy makers to develop the Texas Emissions Reduction
Plan, which has granted more than $1 billion for the replacement of
diesel engines and has cut more than 160,000 tons of smog-forming
nitrogen oxides; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan also mobilized citizens to stop
the construction of proposed coal and nuclear power plants, and he
provided crucial support for the state's building energy code, a
piece of legislation that has brought about significant reductions
in energy use by new homes; moreover, he has played a key role in the
crafting and passage of major ethics reforms, including the
creation of the state's ethics commission; during his exemplary
tenure, he has testified before the Texas Legislature and the
U.S. Congress more than 1,000 times; and
WHEREAS, In 2001, Mr. Smith was named "Best People's
Lobbyist" by the Austin Chronicle, and the newspaper gave him its
Best Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016; his many other accolades
include the Environmental Excellence Award from the EPA, the
Achievement in Advocacy Award from the American Wind Energy
Association, and the prestigious Heinz Award; and
WHEREAS, An Illinois native, Mr. Smith holds a bachelor's
degree in urban studies from Valparaiso University; he moved to
Kingsville in 1974 to become a VISTA volunteer, and he went on to
serve as food bank development coordinator for Second Harvest Food
Bank, as director of the Houston Food Bank and of the Southwest
Regional Office of the Community Nutrition Institute, and as a
legal assistant with Texas Rural Legal Aid and Prairie State Legal
Services; and
WHEREAS, A tremendously inspiring, dynamic leader, Smitty
Smith has made an immeasurable impact on the Lone Star State, and in
so doing, he has earned the lasting respect and gratitude of his
fellow citizens; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Tom "Smitty" Smith on the occasion
of his retirement as director of the Texas office of Public Citizen
and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Smith as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.