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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Lisa Falkenberg of the Houston Chronicle received |
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the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary; and |
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WHEREAS, A Metro section columnist since 2007, |
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Ms. Falkenberg was honored for a series of 10 groundbreaking |
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columns on egregious problems in the legal and immigration systems; |
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many of the columns addressed the role of the grand jury in the |
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death row case of Alfred Dewayne Brown, who had been convicted of |
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murder despite the existence of exonerating evidence; her vivid |
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reporting and powerful analysis helped lead to the overturning of |
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the conviction and spurred changes in the selection process for |
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grand jurors; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Falkenberg was born in Seguin and demonstrated |
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an early interest in research and writing; after serving as editor |
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of the Seguin High School student newspaper, she became the first |
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member of her family to attend college; she began working at the |
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Daily Texan while completing her bachelor's degree in journalism at |
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The University of Texas at Austin and also held a number of |
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internships with major news organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2001, Ms. Falkenberg joined the Dallas bureau of |
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the Associated Press, and as a regional reporter, she covered such |
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events as the Columbia shuttle disaster and the deadly BP refinery |
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explosion; she became state correspondent in the Austin bureau for |
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the Houston Chronicle in 2004 and three years later, she was offered |
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a column; her work has been recognized by numerous organizations, |
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among them the State Bar of Texas, the Mexican-American Bar |
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Association of Texas, the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice, |
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and Houston's Coalition for the Homeless; in 2015, she received the |
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American Society of News Editors' Mike Royko Award for |
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Commentary/Column Writing, and before bringing the Chronicle its |
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first Pulitzer, she was a 2014 finalist; and |
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WHEREAS, Lisa Falkenberg has made a lasting, positive |
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difference in the Lone Star State through her outstanding |
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contributions as a journalist, and she is richly deserving of this |
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prestigious accolade; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Lisa Falkenberg on her receipt of |
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the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Falkenberg as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Davis of Harris |
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Howard |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 202 was adopted by the House on |
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February 23, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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