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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, George W. Bush was the first Texas governor to |
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become president of the United States, and as he takes up residence |
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once again in the Lone Star State, it is indeed a pleasure to |
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welcome him home; and |
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WHEREAS, The eldest child of former president George Herbert |
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Walker Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush, George W. Bush was |
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born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 6, 1946; he grew up in |
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Midland and Houston and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in |
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history from Yale University and a master of business |
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administration degree from the Harvard School of Business; after |
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returning to Midland to enter the energy industry, he met Laura |
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Welch, who became his wife on November 5, 1977; three years later, |
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the couple were blessed with twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan continued his career in energy |
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until his father's successful 1988 presidential campaign, on which |
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he served as a senior advisor, and he later assembled a group of |
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investors to purchase the Texas Rangers baseball franchise; in |
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1994, he began his own career in public service with his election as |
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governor; during his six years in office, he fostered an atmosphere |
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of bipartisanship and gained a reputation as a compassionate |
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conservative who based public policy on a philosophy of limited |
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government, personal responsibility, local control, and strong |
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families; and |
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WHEREAS, Having earned nationwide attention, the popular |
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governor of Texas was urged to run for higher office, and on January |
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20, 2001, he became the 43rd president of the United States, making |
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history as the first son of a former president to win the White |
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House since John Quincy Adams; President Bush was tested less than |
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nine months after his inauguration by the terrible events of |
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September 11, 2001, and the swiftness and determination of his |
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response would define his presidency; and |
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WHEREAS, In his address to the nation that night, President |
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Bush condemned the acts of terror and uplifted the American people |
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with assurances of safety and justice; he subsequently proclaimed |
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September 14, 2001, as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, and |
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on that day he stood amid rescue workers in the rubble of the World |
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Trade Center and again offered words of comfort to the grieving |
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nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout the remainder of his first term and |
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continuing through his second, President Bush made national |
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security his highest priority; he created the Department of |
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Homeland Security and transformed the military, the intelligence |
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community, and the FBI; and |
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WHEREAS, The Bush administration met numerous foreign policy |
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challenges, while also making constructive progress in relations |
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with India and sustaining a solid relationship with China; |
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President Bush persuaded Libya to abandon its advanced missile |
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programs, leading to normalized relations; in Africa, he vastly |
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increased development assistance, and he has won high praise for |
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his support of global initiatives to combat AIDS, malaria, and |
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tuberculosis; and |
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WHEREAS, By pushing through a prescription drug benefit, |
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President Bush helped millions of older Americans, and today more |
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than 25 million people are enrolled in Medicare drug plans |
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administered by private insurers; in addition, he expanded access |
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to health care by doubling direct federal financing for community |
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health centers; he also worked with Congress to enact the No Child |
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Left Behind Act, an ambitious template for educational reform; and |
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WHEREAS, For the past eight years, President George W. Bush |
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lived each day with the safety and prosperity of his fellow citizens |
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foremost in his mind; he took a principled stance on a wide range of |
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issues of great importance to every American, and his tireless |
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efforts will not soon be forgotten; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby welcome former president George W. Bush back to the Lone Star |
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State and extend to him sincere appreciation for his service to our |
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state and nation; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for former president Bush as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |