H.R. No. 751
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Honorable Pat Breen, Irish minister of state for
employment and small business, is visiting the Texas Capitol on
March 13, 2017, and this occasion provides a welcome opportunity to
pay tribute to this distinguished guest and to celebrate the many
contributions that the people of Ireland have made to Texas over the
centuries; and
WHEREAS, Minister Breen began his career in public service as
a member of the Clare County Council, where he served from 1999 to
2002; since 2002 he has held a seat in the Dáil Éireann, the lower
house of the Irish Oireachtas, or parliament; Minister Breen served
as chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and
Trade from June 2011 to February 2016, and in May 2016 he assumed
his present post as a minister of state in the Department of Jobs,
Enterprise, and Innovation; and
WHEREAS, It is fitting indeed that Minister Breen's visit
occurs during the week of St. Patrick's Day; this iconic Irish
holiday is celebrated widely across Texas, a state that has drawn
many people of Irish descent and that has been profoundly shaped by
their endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Among the earliest Irish residents of Texas was Hugo
Oconór, who served as governor of Coahuila and Texas from 1767 to
1770 and who helped lay the cornerstone of Mission San José; in the
early 19th century, Irish-born empresarios James McGloin, John
McMullen, and James Power settled Irish families in South Texas and
along the Gulf Coast, and a number of Irish took up homesteads in
Stephen F. Austin's first colony; during the Texas Revolution, at
least 15 Irish-born soldiers fought at the Alamo, four Irishmen
signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, and a hundred fought
with Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto, where they made up
one-seventh of his troops; and
WHEREAS, Immigration from Ireland increased dramatically
during the mid-19th century, and the new arrivals joined
established Irish Texans in helping to build the physical
infrastructure and develop the economy and social fabric of the
young state; prominent Irish natives included Samuel McKinney, an
early president of Austin College, and Father Michael Sheehan, who
established the first Catholic church in Austin; later in the
century, John William Mallet served as the first faculty chair at
The University of Texas, and the artist Henry Arthur McArdle
specialized in paintings based on Texas history, several of which
hang in the State Capitol; today, some two million Texans,
representing eight percent of the state's population, claim Irish
ancestry and are making their mark in both the private and the
public sphere; and
WHEREAS, Ireland remains a key friend of Texas and a strong
economic partner, with trade between the two currently valued at
about $2.2 billion; in recognition of the affinity between their
dynamic societies and of the potential for a further expansion of
economic relations, Ireland opened a consulate general in Texas in
2015; located in Austin, at Ireland House Texas, the staff of the
diplomatic mission is joined by representatives of two government
agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland; and
WHEREAS, The people of Texas share deep, historic bonds with
the people of Ireland, and it is a privilege to recognize those ties
and the immeasurable contributions of Irish Texans to the growth
and vitality of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby welcome Minister Pat Breen of Ireland to the
Texas Capitol and join with him in celebrating the long-standing
friendship that exists between Ireland and this state; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Minister Breen as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Murphy
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. 751 was adopted by the House on March
13, 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