88R10282 AMB-D
By: Morales of Harris H.R. No. 249
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Members of the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce
are gathering in Austin on February 15, 2023, to celebrate East End
Day at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Predating the founding of the city of Houston, the
East End can trace its origins to the 1820s, when New York
entrepreneur John Richardson Harris established Harrisburg at the
intersection of Brays and Buffalo Bayous; after briefly serving as
the capital of the Republic of Texas, the town was annexed by
Houston in 1926; today, the East End encompasses more than 234,000
people and 7,700 businesses, and it remains a location of great
importance as the proud home of the Port of Houston, one of the
nation's foremost ports for international trade and one of the
largest port facilities in the world; and
WHEREAS, The Houston East End Chamber of Commerce was founded
in 1991 to ensure the economic prosperity of the area; guided by
this central goal, the chamber hosts a wide range of programs and
events that encourage new commercial ventures and support existing
businesses, and in recent years, it has provided webinars and other
resources to help business leaders meet the challenges of the
COVID-19 pandemic; moreover, the group created the Strategic Vision
for the East End in 2006, and the chamber and its partners have
since made outstanding progress, establishing an Economic
Development Division in 2009 and the East End Street Fest in 2013;
the East End serves as the commercial center of the city and the hub
of its transportation systems, and an investment exceeding half a
billion dollars is bringing light rail through the heart of the
district as well as street beautification projects; and
WHEREAS, Dedicated to equipping the next generation with the
knowledge and skills necessary to succeed, the chamber foundation
has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships over the past 16
years; in addition, the chamber started an Education Symposium and
helped organize Port of Houston Maritime Academies at Stephen
F. Austin and Jack Yates High Schools as well as a National
Engineering Academy at Chávez High School; and
WHEREAS, The Houston East End Chamber of Commerce has
remained steadfast in its mission to promote economic vitality by
establishing strong connections throughout the community, and it is
a pleasure to recognize the organization for its myriad
contributions to the East End; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 15, 2023, as Houston East End
Chamber of Commerce East End Day at the State Capitol and extend a
warm welcome to the visiting delegation.