84R10730 BGU-D
 
  By: Sheets H.C.R. No. 83
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, The Honorable John Goodwin Tower greatly benefited
  his state and his nation through his dedicated public service,
  including nearly a quarter-century in the United States Senate; and
         WHEREAS, Born in Houston on September 29, 1925, John Tower
  served in the United States Navy during World War II on an
  amphibious gunboat in the Pacific; he was discharged as a seaman
  first class and remained active in the naval reserve until 1989,
  when he retired with the rank of master chief boatswain's mate; and
         WHEREAS, Senator Tower earned a bachelor's degree in
  political science at Southwestern University and a master's degree
  in the same discipline at Southern Methodist University; he
  accepted a position as an assistant professor at Midwestern
  University in the early 1950s and continued his studies at the
  London School of Economics; and
         WHEREAS, He soon became a rising star in conservative
  politics, and in 1960, he was elected as the first Republican
  senator from Texas since Reconstruction; Senator Tower took on
  numerous committee assignments in Washington and played a key role
  in the modernization and expansion of the military as chair of the
  Armed Services Committee and as a member of the Joint Committee on
  Defense Production; he also served on the Labor and Public Welfare
  and Banking and Currency Committees, among many others; he was
  known for his skill at guiding legislation through Congress, and he
  sought to stimulate economic growth, increase small business
  opportunities, improve transportation systems, and encourage
  strong financial institutions; working diligently in behalf of his
  fellow Texans, he promoted agriculture as well as the energy,
  fishing, and maritime industries; and
         WHEREAS, After retiring from Congress in 1985, Senator Tower
  served as President Ronald Reagan's strategic arms negotiator in
  Geneva, and he further assisted the president by advocating for
  ratification of a medium-range nuclear weapons treaty with the
  Soviet Union; in late 1986, President Reagan appointed him as chair
  of the special review board assigned to investigate the Iran-contra
  scandals; and
         WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan established a consulting company
  in Dallas that served some of the nation's largest weapons
  manufacturers, and from 1986 to 1988, he taught political science
  as a distinguished lecturer at Southern Methodist University; in
  1990, President Bush named him chair of the President's Foreign
  Intelligence Advisory Board; tragically, he died in a plane crash
  the following year; and
         WHEREAS, Through his leadership in national security and
  foreign policy issues, John Tower made vital contributions to the
  United States, and his tireless efforts to advance the interests of
  the Lone Star State earned the lasting appreciation of his fellow
  Texans; naming the State Insurance Building Annex in the Capitol
  Complex in his honor would provide a most fitting tribute to his
  outstanding accomplishments; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby direct the Texas Facilities Commission to rename the State
  Insurance Building Annex the John G. Tower State Office Building as
  a lasting tribute to this esteemed Texan; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
  copy of this resolution to the chair and to the executive director
  of the Texas Facilities Commission.