TITLE: Designating Fort Worth as the official Aviation and Defense Capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

SUMMARY: Designating Fort Worth as the official Aviation and Defense Capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The city of Fort Worth has evolved into a prominent center for the aviation and defense sectors, attracting major corporations, manufacturing facilities, and a skilled workforce that continues to drive innovation and economic growth in these industries; and WHEREAS, Fort Worth's connection to the military dates to its establishment as a frontier outpost in 1849; later, as the United States mobilized for World War I, the city served as the home of Camp Bowie, which trained 100,000 soldiers in the U.S. Army's 36th Infantry Division; during World War II, the construction of the B-24 and B-32 bombers in Fort Worth and the development of Carswell Air Force Base solidified the city's longstanding partnership with the U.S. armed forces, which continues to this day; and WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1970s, Fort Worth became a manufacturing location for the F-16, one of the world's most widely used fighter jets; today, the city remains at the forefront of aerospace innovation as the assembly site of the F-35 Lightning II, the most advanced fifth-generation fighter jet in the world, which is produced by Fort Worth-based Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; in March 2025, it was announced that the global F-35 fleet had surpassed one million total flight hours; and WHEREAS, In 1951, Bell Textron, Inc., opened in Fort Worth the first factory in the world specifically designed to manufacture helicopters, and in 2018, the location was designated a Vertical Flight Heritage Site by the Vertical Flight Society; the company has produced and delivered more than 35,000 Bell rotorcraft, and it is slated to expand its Fort Worth operations by opening a new advanced manufacturing facility for the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft; this state-of-the-art tiltrotor is designed to fly two times farther and faster than the current fleet; and WHEREAS, Since 1974, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport has served Fort Worth, the North Texas region, and the State of Texas as a gateway to destinations around the globe; it has grown into one of the busiest airports in the world and welcomes more than 86 million travelers a year and generates over $37 billion in annual economic impact; and WHEREAS, American Airlines relocated its corporate headquarters to Fort Worth in 1979, and the carrier now maintains a workforce of more than 36,000 in North Texas and operates thousands of flights per day to more than 350 destinations in over 60 countries; and WHEREAS, Fort Worth has played an integral part in advancing America's leadership in military capability and aerospace technology, and these contributions have brought profound benefits to our state and nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate Fort Worth as the official Aviation and Defense Capital of Texas; and, be it further RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section 391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally passed by the legislature. Geren McQueeney President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 142 was adopted by the House on May 16, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 125, Nays 0, 2 present, not voting. Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 142 was adopted by the Senate on May 25, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: Date Governor