SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 161
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 promote economic expansion and investment in
the area; guided by this central goal, the chamber hosts a wide
range of programs, such as business luncheons,
business-to-business seminars, and other events that encourage
new commercial ventures, foster good will, 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 17 years; in addition, the chamber launched an annual
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 Senate of the State of Texas 88th
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.
Alvarado
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 15, 2023.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate