SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 161
	WHEREAS, Members of the Houston East End Chamber of
	Commerce are gathering in Austin on February 15, 2023, to
	celebrate East End Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, Predating the founding of the city of Houston, the
	East End can trace its origins to the 1820s, when New York
	entrepreneur John Richardson Harris established Harrisburg at
	the intersection of Brays and Buffalo Bayous; after briefly
	serving as the capital of the Republic of Texas, the town was
	annexed by Houston in 1926; today, the East End encompasses more
	than 234,000 people and 7,700 businesses, and it remains a
	location of great importance as the proud home of the Port of
	Houston, one of the nation's foremost ports for international
	trade and one of the largest port facilities in the world; and
	WHEREAS, The Houston East End Chamber of Commerce was
	founded in 1991 to promote economic expansion and investment in
	the area; guided by this central goal, the chamber hosts a wide
	range of programs, such as business luncheons,
	business-to-business seminars, and other events that encourage
	new commercial ventures, foster good will, and support existing
	businesses, and in recent years, it has provided webinars and
	other resources to help business leaders meet the challenges of
	the COVID-19 pandemic; moreover, the group created the Strategic
	Vision for the East End in 2006, and the chamber and its partners
	have since made outstanding progress, establishing an Economic
	Development Division in 2009 and the East End Street Fest in
	2013; the East End serves as the commercial center of the city and
	the hub of its transportation systems, and an investment
	exceeding half a billion dollars is bringing light rail through
	the heart of the district as well as street beautification
	projects; and
	WHEREAS, Dedicated to equipping the next generation with
	the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed, the chamber
	foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships over
	the past 17 years; in addition, the chamber launched an annual
	Education Symposium and helped organize Port of Houston Maritime
	Academies at Stephen F. Austin and Jack Yates High Schools as
	well as a National Engineering Academy at Ch vez High School; and
	WHEREAS, The Houston East End Chamber of Commerce has
	remained steadfast in its mission to promote economic vitality by
	establishing strong connections throughout the community, and it
	is a pleasure to recognize the organization for its myriad
	contributions to the East End; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas 88th
	Legislature, hereby recognize February 15, 2023, as Houston East
	End Chamber of Commerce East End Day at the State Capitol and
	extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.
	Alvarado
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on February 15, 2023.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate