| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Proud members of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | Texas are gathering in Austin for Alabama-Coushatta Day at the |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | State Capitol on February 7, 2023; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, One of three federally recognized tribes in Texas, |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe was originally two tribes, the Alibamus |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | and the Koasatis, who had a similar culture but lived in adjacent |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | lands in Alabama; starting in the 1760s, the two tribes began to |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | migrate westward into what is now East Texas; and |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, In 1813, the tribes fought on the side of the |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | revolutionaries in the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, and |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | the new Mexican government granted them tracts of land in gratitude |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | for their service; two decades later, Sam Houston granted the |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | tribes land between the Neches and Sabine Rivers in exchange for not |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | siding with Mexico during the Texas Revolution; members of the |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | tribes served as guides for the Texan army and helped to feed |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | refugees who had fled from Santa Anna's troops; and |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Today, there are 1,200 members of the |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | Alabama-Coushatta, half of whom live on the reservation's 10,200 |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | acres in the Big Thicket of East Texas; the tribe is a fully |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | functioning sovereign government, providing a full complement of |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | health and human services, and it is responsible for 250 jobs, |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | including teachers, doctors, and peace officers; members also |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | maintain a health clinic, a day-care center, a solid waste |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | facility, three churches, and retail shops; and |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Home to one of the most scenic recreational areas in |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | the Lone Star State, the reservation is visited every year by |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | thousands of people who enjoy the fine opportunities for camping, |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | hiking, and picnicking; the reservation is also home to the Naskila |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | Gaming facility and an annual powwow and music festival; and |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich heritage as they work to |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | build a better tomorrow, the people of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | may indeed take great pride in their unique contributions to the |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | history and culture of Texas; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | hereby recognize February 7, 2023, as Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | Texas Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | visiting members of the tribe. |
|---|
| 42 | | - | Ashby |
|---|
| 43 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 44 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 45 | | - | I certify that H.C.R. No. 35 was adopted by the House on March |
|---|
| 46 | | - | 8, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
|---|
| 47 | | - | voting. |
|---|
| 48 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 49 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 50 | | - | I certify that H.C.R. No. 35 was adopted by the Senate on |
|---|
| 51 | | - | March 13, 2023, by a viva-voce vote. |
|---|
| 52 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 53 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 54 | | - | APPROVED: __________________ |
|---|
| 55 | | - | Date |
|---|
| 56 | | - | __________________ |
|---|
| 57 | | - | Governor |
|---|