TITLE: Recognizing February 19, 2025, as Rio Grande Valley Day at the State Capitol.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 19, 2025, as Rio Grande Valley Day at the State Capitol.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, A distinguished delegation from South Texas is visiting Austin on February 19, 2025, 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 1.15 million 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 and averaging 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 $47.16 billion in taxable sales recorded in reporting year 2024; and WHEREAS, The Valley has around 1.4 million residents, with approximately 565,000 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 35,000 students; the UTRGV School of Medicine is in its ninth year of operation with numerous GME programs and patient care sites; and WHEREAS, The six higher education institutions in the Rio Grande Valley, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen, the Texas A&M University Health Science Center, South Texas College, Texas Southmost College, and Texas State Technical College, serve a student population of more than 100,000; and WHEREAS, Major sponsors for the day's legislative event include the Texas Regional Bank, UTRGV, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, Linebarger Attorneys at Law, Charter Communications, the City of Edinburg, Texas Gas Service, the Texas International Produce Association, AEP, Raise Your Hand Texas, NextDecade, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, and AT&T, 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 House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 19, 2025, as Rio Grande Valley Day at the State Capitol and extend to all participants sincere best wishes for a productive and enjoyable visit. Guillen Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Alders Guillen Morgan Allen Harless Mu oz Anch a Harris Noble Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Barry Harrison Oliverson Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bhojani Hickland Paul Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bryant Hopper Phelan Buckley Howard Pierson Bucy Hull Plesa Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Cain Johnson Richardson Campos Jones of Dallas Rodr guez Ramos Canales Jones of Harris Romero Capriglione Kerwin Rose Cole King Rosenthal Collier Kitzman Schatzline Cook LaHood Schofield Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Craddick Lambert Shaheen Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Curry Leach Simmons Darby Leo Wilson Slawson A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dutton Lowe Thompson Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Fairly Lujan Toth Flores Luther Troxclair Frank Manuel Turner G mez Martinez VanDeaver Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Gates Metcalf Vo Gerdes Meyer Walle Geren Meza Ward Johnson Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton Gonz lez of Dallas Moody Wilson Gonz lez of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 299 was adopted by the House on February 19, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House