H.R. No. 96 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Proud members of the Republican Party of Texas are celebrating the organization's 150th anniversary in 2017; and WHEREAS, The Republican Party of Texas was founded at the Harris County Courthouse on the Fourth of July, 1867, 13 years after the national party was established and 7 years after the election of the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln; former governor Elisha M. Pease served as chair of that initial state convention, and Colonel John L. Haynes, commander of the U.S. Army's First Texas Cavalry, became the executive committee chair; the party's membership in its early years was largely made up of former slaves, German American immigrants, and Texans who had opposed secession during the Civil War; and WHEREAS, Notable early Texas Republicans included Edmund J. Davis, the state's first Republican governor, Morgan C. Hamilton, a Republican senator, George T. Ruby, an African American state senator from Galveston, and Norris Wright Cuney, a prominent African American leader and a member of the Republican National Committee from 1886 to 1896; and WHEREAS, The party gained strength in the Lone Star State in the 20th century when Dwight Eisenhower carried Texas in the 1952 presidential election, and its fortunes were boosted again in 1961 when John Tower was elected to replace Lyndon Johnson in the U.S. Senate; a new era began in 1978, when William P. Clements took office as the first Republican governor since Reconstruction, and from the 1980s to the present, Texas has been represented in the U.S. Congress by a series of accomplished Republican leaders, including Senators Phil Gramm, Kay Bailey Hutchison, John Cornyn, and Ted Cruz, as well as numerous members of the U.S. House of Representatives; Republicans have taken on an increasingly prominent role in state and local government as well; the party has held the governor's office since 1994, with George W. Bush, Rick Perry, and Greg Abbott serving as chief executive, and Republicans have swept the other statewide offices in five consecutive elections and have held a majority in the Texas Senate since 1997 and in the Texas House of Representatives since 2003; and WHEREAS, Thanks to the tireless service and exemplary leadership of countless men and women, the Republican Party continues to carry forth its core goals, including limited government, political and economic freedom, and strong national security, and its members may indeed take great pride in their invaluable contributions to our state and nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Republican Party of Texas; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the Republican Party of Texas as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Dale Craddick Dale Craddick Dale Craddick Parker Isaac Parker Isaac Parker Isaac Anderson of McLennan Anderson of Dallas Anderson of McLennan Anderson of Dallas Anderson of McLennan Anderson of Dallas Bailes Bell Bailes Bell Bailes Bell Biedermann Bohac Biedermann Bohac Biedermann Bohac Burkett Burns Burkett Burns Burkett Burns Cain Clardy Cain Clardy Cain Clardy Cosper Cyrier Cosper Cyrier Cosper Cyrier Faircloth Frank Faircloth Frank Faircloth Frank Frullo Goldman Frullo Goldman Frullo Goldman Keough King of Parker Keough King of Parker Keough King of Parker Koop Krause Koop Krause Koop Krause Lambert Landgraf Lambert Landgraf Lambert Landgraf Lang Metcalf Lang Metcalf Lang Metcalf Meyer Miller Meyer Miller Meyer Miller Murr Oliverson Murr Oliverson Murr Oliverson Paul Price Paul Price Paul Price Raney Rinaldi Raney Rinaldi Raney Rinaldi Roberts Schaefer Roberts Schaefer Roberts Schaefer Schofield Schubert Schofield Schubert Schofield Schubert Simmons Smithee Simmons Smithee Simmons Smithee Springer Stephenson Springer Stephenson Springer Stephenson Stickland Tinderholt Stickland Tinderholt Stickland Tinderholt VanDeaver White VanDeaver White VanDeaver White Workman Workman Workman ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 96 was adopted by the House on August 15, 2017, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Dale Craddick Parker Isaac Anderson of McLennan Anderson of Dallas Bailes Bell Biedermann Bohac Burkett Burns Cain Clardy Cosper Cyrier Faircloth Frank Frullo Goldman Keough King of Parker Koop Krause Lambert Landgraf Lang Metcalf Meyer Miller Murr Oliverson Paul Price Raney Rinaldi Roberts Schaefer Schofield Schubert Simmons Smithee Springer Stephenson Stickland Tinderholt VanDeaver White Workman