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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Texas State Aquarium Day is taking place at the |
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| 8 | 9 | | State Capitol on March 5, 2025; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, A private, nonprofit organization located in Corpus |
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| 10 | 11 | | Christi, the Texas State Aquarium is a popular tourist destination |
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| 11 | 12 | | that has helped to build the state's reputation as a national leader |
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| 12 | 13 | | in wildlife resiliency and environmental education; in 2023, the |
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| 13 | 14 | | institution contributed $195 million to the state's economy while |
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| 14 | 15 | | supporting a workforce of more than 1,300 employees; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, The Texas State Aquarium works to advance wildlife |
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| 16 | 17 | | conservation through its Wildlife Rescue Center, which has emerged |
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| 17 | 18 | | as the largest coastal wildlife rescue facility in Texas and one of |
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| 18 | 19 | | the largest in the United States; to date, the center has |
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| 19 | 20 | | rehabilitated and returned more than 5,000 land and sea animals to |
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| 20 | 21 | | their natural habitats; in addition, the aquarium partners with |
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| 21 | 22 | | multiple state and federal agencies to monitor and manage emergency |
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| 22 | 23 | | wildlife response activities, and it features the nation's only |
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| 23 | 24 | | emergency operations center dedicated to wildlife disaster |
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| 24 | 25 | | preparedness, response, and recovery; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, The Texas State Aquarium's workforce development |
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| 26 | 27 | | programs have provided educational opportunities to more than 5,100 |
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| 27 | 28 | | students, helping to equip the next generation of conservationists |
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| 28 | 29 | | and professionals with the skills they need to become leaders in |
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| 29 | 30 | | their fields; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, By encouraging Texans to appreciate the beauty, |
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| 31 | 32 | | diversity, and vulnerability of marine life, the Texas State |
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| 32 | 33 | | Aquarium is making a significant contribution to the Lone Star |
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| 33 | 34 | | State, and all those associated with this exemplary institution are |
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| 34 | 35 | | indeed deserving of special recognition for their dedication to |
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| 35 | 36 | | environmental stewardship; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 5, 2025, as Texas State Aquarium |
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| 38 | 39 | | Day at the State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting |
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| 39 | 40 | | delegation. |
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