H.R. No. 658 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, John Sharp is retiring as chancellor of The Texas A&M University System in 2025, following the longest tenure at the helm in the institution's history; and WHEREAS, Named chancellor in 2011, Mr. Sharp has transformed the System, which has grown to include 11 universities and eight state agencies, and his efforts have earned him a place alongside such legendary Texas A&M leaders as Sul Ross and James Earl Rudder; he has raised the national profile of the flagship institution in College Station, which is now the nation's largest university with more than 79,000 students; in 2013, the System acquired Texas Wesleyan University's law school, which became the Texas A&M University School of Law and climbed more than 100 places in just a decade to rank 26th among the law programs in the country; Chancellor Sharp oversaw nearly $12 billion in construction and the conversion of the Riverside Campus into Texas A&M-RELLIS, a 2,400-acre high-tech hub for defense research and testing; moreover, he energized Aggie football with a nearly half-billion-dollar expansion of Kyle Field and a move to the Southeastern Conference; athletic facilities throughout the System have been enhanced; and WHEREAS, The System today has more than $1 billion in research expenditures, and Texas A&M University holds the No. 1 spot in engineering research expenditures; five of the System's universities have been awarded Research 2 status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing them among an elite group of leading research institutions and highlighting their commitment to innovation; the System has also seen an exponential increase in the number of faculty members who are members of the National Academies; and WHEREAS, Addressing the state's increasing energy needs, the System has announced plans to provide a platform for companies to test the latest nuclear reactors for increased power supply; further, the System continues to be part of the team that manages the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico; in addition, it was chosen in 2024 by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration as part of a group to manage and operate the Pantex Plant, which maintains the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile; and WHEREAS, Chancellor Sharp brought to his role more than three decades of experience in public office; he was elected to the Texas House in 1978 and four years later, he won a seat in the Texas Senate; subsequently, he was elected to the Texas Railroad Commission and was twice elected state comptroller, a position in which he created the Texas Performance Review, which identified and enacted a savings of $4 billion to the state, keeping Texans from having to pay a state income tax; a TAMU graduate and student body president, Mr. Sharp was a member of the Corps of Cadets staff and served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve; while employed by the Legislative Budget Board, he earned a master's degree in public administration from Texas State University; he was named a Distinguished Alumnus of TAMU in 2018; and WHEREAS, Admired for his vision, dynamism, and unyielding commitment to excellence, John Sharp has guided the Texas A&M System through an era of tremendous progress, and his accomplishments will yield ever-increasing benefits in the years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby honor John Sharp for his service as chancellor of The Texas A&M University System and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Chancellor Sharp as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Dyson Buckley Dyson Buckley Dyson Buckley Leo Wilson Ashby Leo Wilson Ashby Leo Wilson Ashby Kitzman Curry Kitzman Curry Kitzman Curry Guillen Hayes Guillen Hayes Guillen Hayes Jones of Dallas Orr Jones of Dallas Orr Jones of Dallas Orr Patterson Richardson Patterson Richardson Patterson Richardson Vasut Vasut Vasut Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Alders Guillen Morgan Alders Guillen Morgan Alders Guillen Morgan Allen Harless Muñoz Allen Harless Muñoz Allen Harless Muñoz Anchía Harris Noble Anchía Harris Noble Anchía Harris Noble Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Barry Harrison Oliverson Barry Harrison Oliverson Barry Harrison Oliverson Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bhojani Hickland Paul Bhojani Hickland Paul Bhojani Hickland Paul Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bryant Hopper Phelan Bryant Hopper Phelan Bryant Hopper Phelan Buckley Howard Pierson Buckley Howard Pierson Buckley Howard Pierson Bucy Hull Plesa Bucy Hull Plesa Bucy Hull Plesa Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Button Isaac Reynolds Button Isaac Reynolds Cain Johnson Richardson Cain Johnson Richardson Cain Johnson Richardson Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Canales Jones of Harris Romero Canales Jones of Harris Romero Canales Jones of Harris Romero Capriglione Kerwin Rose Capriglione Kerwin Rose Capriglione Kerwin Rose Cole King Rosenthal Cole King Rosenthal Cole King Rosenthal Collier Kitzman Schatzline Collier Kitzman Schatzline Collier Kitzman Schatzline Cook LaHood Schofield Cook LaHood Schofield Cook LaHood Schofield Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Craddick Lambert Shaheen Craddick Lambert Shaheen Craddick Lambert Shaheen Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Curry Leach Simmons Curry Leach Simmons Curry Leach Simmons Darby Leo Wilson Slawson Darby Leo Wilson Slawson Darby Leo Wilson Slawson A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dutton Lowe Thompson Dutton Lowe Thompson Dutton Lowe Thompson Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Fairly Lujan Toth Fairly Lujan Toth Fairly Lujan Toth Flores Luther Troxclair Flores Luther Troxclair Flores Luther Troxclair Frank Manuel Turner Frank Manuel Turner Frank Manuel Turner Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Gates Metcalf Vo Gates Metcalf Vo Gates Metcalf Vo Gerdes Meyer Walle Gerdes Meyer Walle Gerdes Meyer Walle Geren Meza Ward Johnson Geren Meza Ward Johnson Geren Meza Ward Johnson Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 658 was adopted by the House on April 3, 2025, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Dyson Buckley Leo Wilson Ashby Kitzman Curry Guillen Hayes Jones of Dallas Orr Patterson Richardson Vasut Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Alders Guillen Morgan Allen Harless Muñoz Anchía Harris Noble Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Barry Harrison Oliverson Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bhojani Hickland Paul Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bryant Hopper Phelan Buckley Howard Pierson Bucy Hull Plesa Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Cain Johnson Richardson Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Canales Jones of Harris Romero Capriglione Kerwin Rose Cole King Rosenthal Collier Kitzman Schatzline Cook LaHood Schofield Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Craddick Lambert Shaheen Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Curry Leach Simmons Darby Leo Wilson Slawson A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dutton Lowe Thompson Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Fairly Lujan Toth Flores Luther Troxclair Frank Manuel Turner Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Gates Metcalf Vo Gerdes Meyer Walle Geren Meza Ward Johnson Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener