SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 176 WHEREAS, Proud citizens of Mission are gathering in Austin on February 13, 2019, to celebrate Mission Day at the State Capitol; and WHEREAS, The City of Mission was founded in 1908, the year the Missouri Pacific Railroad established a station in the area, and the city was named for La Lomita Mission, which was located nearby; since then, Mission has grown to be a thriving city with a population of more than 84,000 people; and WHEREAS, The first citrus trees in the Rio Grande Valley were planted in the Mission area; today, the citrus industry is a multimillion-dollar business and is celebrated each year at the Texas Citrus Fiesta; and WHEREAS, Mission is a center for international trade and entrepreneurism, and the city is a partner in the Anzalduas International Bridge, a vital trade and tourism connection to Mexico; Mission is also home to several international manufacturers, such as Stanley Black and Decker, Royal Technologies, and Southwest Steel Coil, and to the Center for Education and Economic Development, or CEED, a dynamic entrepreneurship and co-working facility; and WHEREAS, Mission was immortalized in Larry McMurtry's novel and television miniseries, Lonesome Dove, and notable residents have included the United States senator and treasury secretary Lloyd Bentsen and United States congressman Kika de la Garza; moreover, Mission was the childhood home of Tom Landry and a second home to Governor Allan Shivers and to three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan; and WHEREAS, Recreational opportunities are abundant in Mission, with such attractions as the National Butterfly Center, the World Birding Center headquarters, Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, and the 10-mile Mission Hike and Bike Trail; and WHEREAS, Mission Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity to honor the border city's heritage and its many charms, which are enjoyed by residents and vacationers alike; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th Legislature, hereby recognize February 13, 2019, as Mission Day at the State Capitol and extend best wishes to the members of the visiting delegation for an enjoyable and memorable stay in Austin. Hinojosa ________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 13, 2019. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate