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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Bob Van Steenburg is retiring as chair of the Texas |
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Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Van Steenburg was born in upstate New York and |
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earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and his |
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master's degree from the University of Akron in Ohio; he was |
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commissioned as a lieutenant in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army |
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and served in Germany, Vietnam, and Korea; his last role in the |
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armed forces was director of communications at Carlisle Barracks in |
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Pennsylvania, and he retired as a colonel after 27 years of service; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving the military, Mr. Van Steenburg was |
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employed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California for 11 |
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years, and during that time he formed a faith-based group to work in |
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opposition to the death penalty; when he moved to Texas in 2002, he |
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continued his efforts and joined the Diocese of Austin's Office of |
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Social Concerns and the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death |
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Penalty; and |
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WHEREAS, At the TCADP, Mr. Van Steenburg is a member of the |
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board of directors and has served as its chair for the past four |
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years; one of his principal roles with the organization has been to |
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communicate concerns about the death penalty to members of the |
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legislature; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, he enjoys the love and |
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support of his wife, Jean, and the couple take great pride in their |
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four children, Beth, Eric, Sarah, and Mark, and their two |
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grandchildren, Robbie and Nathaniel; and |
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WHEREAS, Bob Van Steenburg has worked tirelessly to engage |
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and educate the public about an issue of great importance, and it is |
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fitting to recognize his efforts in behalf of the Texas Coalition to |
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Abolish the Death Penalty and the people of the Lone Star State; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Bob Van Steenburg on his retirement |
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as chair of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Van Steenburg as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |