IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1050 

Honoring the life and accomplishments of the late Ann Richards, former 

Governor of Texas. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2006 

Ms. SOLIS (for herself, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. EDDIE

BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mrs. MALONEY, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. DELAURO, Mrs. MCCARTHY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mrs. 

DAVIS of California, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Ms. MATSUI, Mrs. 

NAPOLITANO, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, and Ms. KAPTUR) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and accomplishments of the late Ann 

Richards, former Governor of Texas. 

Whereas Ann Richards was elected Governor of Texas in 

1990 and was a role model for women in politics and for 

women throughout the Nation; 

Whereas Ann Richards was the first woman elected Governor 

of Texas in her own right, rather than as a successor to 

her spouse or a male Governor who died, resigned, or was 

impeached; 

Whereas at the time of her election in 1990, Ann Richards 

was only the twelfth woman elected Governor in United 


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•HRES 1050 IH 

States history, and only the seventh woman elected Governor in her own right; 

Whereas only 29 women have been elected Governor in the 

United States, and women Governors have served in only 

21 States and 1 territory; 

Whereas in 1976, Ann Richards was elected to her first government office, defeating an incumbent to become the 

county commissioner of Travis County, Texas; 

Whereas in 1982, Ann Richards became the first woman 

elected to a statewide office in Texas in over 50 years 

when she was elected to her first statewide office as the 

State treasurer, a position to which she was reelected 4 

years later; 

Whereas in 1988, Ann Richards delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, which catapulted her to fame as a national political figure and included her critique of then Vice President George H.W. 

Bush as well as her coining of the famous phrase: ‘‘Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did. She just did 

it backwards and in high heels.’’; 

Whereas Ann Richards declared her Governor’s administration to be the ‘‘New Texas’’ and, in the interest of diversifying the State government to better represent the population of Texas, appointed more women, African-Americans, and Hispanics to commissions and State boards 

than any previous Governor of Texas; 

Whereas Ann Richards’s indomitable wit, spirit, intelligence, 

tenacity, and sense of civic duty helped propel her to the 

highest office in Texas and solidified her as a nationally 

known leader; 


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•HRES 1050 IH 

Whereas Ann Richards was a pioneer for women in politics 

and other fields, and helped shatter social barriers that 

held women back from powerful roles in government and 

business; and 

Whereas Ann Richards died on September 13, 2006, at the 

age of 73, in Austin, Texas: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) honors the life and accomplishments of the 

3 late Ann Richards, former Governor of Texas; 

4 (2) recognizes the contributions of Ann Rich5 ards to the State of Texas, to the progress of women 

6 in politics, and to the progress of women throughout 

7 the United States; and 

8 (3) expresses condolences to the family and 

9 loved ones of Ann Richards. 

Æ 


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