Bill Text: TX SR196 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing February 22, 2023, as Rio Grande Valley Day.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-02-22 - Reported enrolled [SR196 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR196-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, A distinguished delegation from South Texas is | ||
visiting Austin on February 22, 2023, to celebrate Rio Grande | ||
Valley Day at the State Capitol; and | ||
WHEREAS, Enjoying a strategic location on the Gulf of | ||
Mexico and along the Mexican border, the Rio Grande Valley was an | ||
important ranching region when Texas became the nation's 28th | ||
state in 1845; over time, the economy shifted from ranching to | ||
agriculture, and the Valley became the state's center of citrus | ||
and vegetable production; and | ||
WHEREAS, In the 1960s, industry flourished and | ||
international trade became increasingly prominent; the region | ||
has contributed significantly to the tremendous increase in | ||
commerce across the United States-Mexico border, with more than | ||
1,152,000 trucks, 11.7 million cars carrying 24.3 million | ||
passengers, 28,000 buses carrying over 300,000 passengers, and | ||
6.2 million pedestrians crossing Rio Grande Valley ports of entry | ||
each year; commerce across the border averages more than $140 | ||
million in goods and services per day, with over $51 billion in | ||
commercial trade per year flowing across various land ports of | ||
entry; the Rio Grande Valley is an economic powerhouse for the | ||
State of Texas with approximately $12.5 billion in taxable sales | ||
recorded in reporting year 2022; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Valley has 1.4 million residents, with | ||
approximately 600,000 individuals under the age of 25, and local | ||
and state officials have focused on the need to expand access to | ||
higher education and health care, strengthen the workforce, | ||
increase transportation and ports of entry infrastructure, and | ||
increase funding for public education; The University of Texas | ||
Rio Grande Valley serves some 30,000 students; the UTRGV School | ||
of Medicine is in its seventh year of operation with numerous GME | ||
programs and patient care sites; in addition, the Texas A&M | ||
University System recently opened its Higher Education Center at | ||
McAllen, which is linked to the campus in College Station and | ||
will offer programs in engineering, technology, biomedical | ||
sciences, agriculture, and laboratory sciences; and | ||
WHEREAS, The six higher education institutions in the Rio | ||
Grande Valley, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas | ||
A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen, Texas A&M | ||
University Health Science Center, South Texas College, Texas | ||
Southmost College, and Texas State Technical College, serve a | ||
student population of over 70,000; and | ||
WHEREAS, Major sponsors for the day's legislative event | ||
include the Cities of Brownsville, San Benito, Primera, Palm | ||
Valley, McAllen, and Edinburg, ERO Architects, Gulf Aviation, | ||
the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority, M&S De Leon | ||
Enterprises LLC, RGV Grant Consultants LLC, Cameron County | ||
Drainage District No. 5, Hidalgo County Precinct No. 4, JL | ||
Powers & Associates, Alamo Chamber of Commerce, the Weslaco, | ||
Edinburg, Pharr, Mission, Harlingen, and San Benito Economic | ||
Development Corporations, Prairie View A&M University, | ||
Supporting World Hope, the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan | ||
Planning Organization, VTX1 Companies, Texas State Technical | ||
College, the Port of Harlingen Authority, Driscoll Children's | ||
Hospital, the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, | ||
Killam Development, Texas Gas Service, the Greater Chamber of | ||
Harlingen, the Texas Oil & Gas Association, Texas Regional Bank, | ||
AT&T, and Atlas Hall & Rodriguez, all of which are promoting | ||
greater regional cooperation in the 21st century; and | ||
WHEREAS, A vibrant region with a rich heritage, the Rio | ||
Grande Valley is poised to take advantage of tremendous | ||
opportunities for continued economic development, and it is | ||
indeed most fitting to honor Valley residents for their | ||
dedication to building a bright and prosperous future for the | ||
area; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th | ||
Legislature, hereby recognize February 22, 2023, as Rio Grande | ||
Valley Day at the State Capitol and extend to all participants | ||
sincere best wishes for a productive and enjoyable visit. | ||
LaMantia, Hinojosa, Zaffirini | ||
________________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on February 22, 2023. | ||
________________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate |