H.R. No. 894 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Honorable Byron Tunnell has made myriad 1-2 contributions to the citizens of this state throughout a 1-3 distinguished tenure in public service that has spanned more than 1-4 four decades; and 1-5 WHEREAS, A native Texan, he was born in Tyler on October 14, 1-6 1925, and proudly served his country as a young man during World 1-7 War II with the U.S. Navy Air Corps; and 1-8 WHEREAS, Mr. Tunnell was graduated from Baylor University 1-9 with a law degree in 1952 and has enjoyed a successful career as an 1-10 attorney in which capacity he has argued cases at almost every 1-11 level of the judicial system, including the United States Supreme 1-12 Court; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Blessed with a strong social conscience and a 1-14 sincere interest in benefitting his fellowman, Mr. Tunnell first 1-15 ran for a seat in the House of Representatives of the 55th Texas 1-16 Legislature and easily won reelection to three additional terms 1-17 based on his extensive accomplishments as a state representative; 1-18 and 1-19 WHEREAS, Selected by his peers to serve as speaker during the 1-20 58th Legislature, he played an instrumental role in the passage of 1-21 significant legislation during that session that provided for the 1-22 creation of the Texas Tourist Development Agency, the merging of 1-23 several existing state agencies into the Texas Parks and Wildlife 1-24 Department, the designation of a portion of the Texas coast to be 2-1 acquired by the federal government for the establishment of the 2-2 Padre Island National Seashore, and the passage of the Texas 2-3 Regulatory Loan Act; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Though he was reelected to an additional term 2-5 following his session as speaker, Mr. Tunnell chose to accept the 2-6 appointment of Governor John Connally to fill a vacant seat on the 2-7 Railroad Commission of Texas following the resignation of one of 2-8 its members; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Mr. Tunnell greatly contributed to the work of the 2-10 Railroad Commission throughout an accomplished tenure that not only 2-11 encompassed his predecessor's unexpired term, but also included two 2-12 additional terms to which he was elected in 1966 and 1972, the 2-13 latter of which he also served as chairman; and 2-14 WHEREAS, Mr. Tunnell left the commission in 1973 to accept a 2-15 position with a Houston oil and gas firm, Tenneco, Inc., with whom 2-16 he was employed until his retirement in 1990; and 2-17 WHEREAS, Though he has claimed to be retired, that issue 2-18 remains at question because he continues to return to public 2-19 service whenever his assistance is requested on matters of pressing 2-20 concern to the state; most recently, he accepted the appointment of 2-21 Governor George W. Bush to serve as one of three conservators of 2-22 the troubled Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse; and 2-23 WHEREAS, For more than 40 years, Byron Tunnell has led this 2-24 state through good times and bad, providing consistently 2-25 exceptional leadership in whatever role he has been asked to fill; 2-26 at this time, it is indeed an honor to recognize this remarkable 2-27 gentleman, for his selfless efforts in this regard have made an 3-1 immeasurable difference in the lives of his fellow Texans; now, 3-2 therefore, be it 3-3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 3-4 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the Honorable Byron Tunnell for 3-5 his extraordinary contributions to the citizens of this state; and, 3-6 be it further 3-7 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-8 prepared for this outstanding statesman as an expression of highest 3-9 regard by the Texas House of Representatives.