H.R. No. 492 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, February 23, 2017, marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Hughes Act, the first major federal legislation to support the teaching of agriculture and other vocational subjects in high school; and WHEREAS, During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the need for vocational and technical education to augment academic study was increasingly recognized by teachers, agriculturists, home economists, and industry leaders; in 1914, the United States Congress established the Commission on National Aid to Vocational Education, which concluded that federal funding was necessary to ensure the success of such programs; and WHEREAS, Based on the recommendations of the commission, Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia introduced Senate Bill 703 on December 7, 1915, and on February 10, 1916, Representative Dudley Hughes laid out a companion bill, House Bill 11250; Senator Smith's bill enjoyed support from both chambers of Congress as well as from President Woodrow Wilson, who urged Congress to take action on it; and WHEREAS, A diverse range of interest groups, including industrialists, labor unions, and agricultural scientists, were united in their endorsement of the legislation; support for the measure was further intensified by the perception that Germany, then engaged in the Great War, had outstripped America in developing an advanced workforce to sustain its agricultural and industrial might; and WHEREAS, On February 17, 1917, Senate Bill 703--now known as the Smith-Hughes Act--was approved by Congress in a bipartisan vote, and on February 23, President Wilson signed the bill into law; Texas state senator Claude Hudspeth of El Paso subsequently introduced a bill to accept the benefits of the federal act, which was approved by the 35th Texas Legislature on May 8, 1917; and WHEREAS, Today, 15 million young Americans, including some 1.2 million Texans, are enrolled in occupational courses in 16 cutting-edge career areas; their experiences in those programs are empowering them to succeed in postsecondary education and in the free-market economy, both as employees and as entrepreneurs; in addition, the advent of vocational education has led to the establishment of a range of youth leadership development organizations, including FFA, SkillsUSA, HOSA, and the Future Business Leaders of America, which are preparing their members to become engaged citizens and effective leaders in the work of self-government, the foundation of this constitutional republic; and WHEREAS, In the century since the passage of the landmark Smith-Hughes Act, vocational education has opened the doors of opportunity for countless youth and contributed significantly to the strength and prosperity of this nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Hughes Act and encourage Texans to learn more about the fine work being done by outstanding career and technical teachers in communities across the state. VanDeaver Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 492 was adopted by the House on February 23, 2017, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas