| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 495 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize James M. Bass, who is retiring as executive director of |
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| 4 | 4 | | the Texas Department of Transportation after 36 years of |
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| 5 | 5 | | outstanding service to the agency; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, James Bass began his career with the Texas |
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| 7 | 7 | | Department of Transportation in 1985 as a summer worker in the |
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| 8 | 8 | | Fort Worth District; in 1990, he began working as a part-time |
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| 9 | 9 | | engineering aide in the Austin District while studying at The |
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| 10 | 10 | | University of Texas at Austin, and in 1991, he completed his |
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| 11 | 11 | | bachelor's degree in accounting; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Bass worked as a budget and forecasting |
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| 13 | 13 | | manager for the department for several years, and in 1999, he was |
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| 14 | 14 | | selected to serve as finance division director; in 2005, he |
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| 15 | 15 | | became the agency's chief financial officer, and his impressive |
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| 16 | 16 | | accomplishments included implementing several bond programs that |
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| 17 | 17 | | allowed for the use of more than $18 billion for infrastructure; |
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| 18 | 18 | | and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In 2016, he was named executive director, and |
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| 20 | 20 | | under his leadership, the agency developed its largest 10-year |
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| 21 | 21 | | transportation plan for the state; as head of the department, he |
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| 22 | 22 | | has focused on expanding opportunities for employees through |
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| 23 | 23 | | educational and outreach programs and partnerships, and he has |
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| 24 | 24 | | prioritized increasing diversity and supporting a culture of |
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| 25 | 25 | | inclusivity within the department; he successfully led the |
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| 26 | 26 | | agency amid the challenges and devastation caused by multiple |
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| 27 | 27 | | natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey, and he has |
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| 28 | 28 | | ensured the well-being of the department's 12,000 employees |
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| 29 | 29 | | throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, A widely respected public administrator, James |
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| 31 | 31 | | Bass has guided the Texas Department of Transportation with |
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| 32 | 32 | | skill, confidence, and compassion, and he has set lasting |
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| 33 | 33 | | standards for excellence that will benefit the agency and the |
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| 34 | 34 | | State of Texas long into the future; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th |
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| 36 | 36 | | Legislature, hereby commend James M. Bass on his exceptional |
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| 37 | 37 | | career with the Texas Department of Transportation and on his |
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| 38 | 38 | | invaluable contributions to the citizens of Texas and extend to |
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| 39 | 39 | | him best wishes for success in all his future endeavors; and, be |
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| 40 | 40 | | it further |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 42 | 42 | | him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Nichols |
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| 44 | 44 | | ________________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | President of the Senate |
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| 46 | 46 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 47 | 47 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 48 | 48 | | the Senate on May 26, 2021. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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