Journal of the House of Representatives of the Regular Session of the Seventy-Ninth Legislature of the State of Texas, Volume 1 Page: 2
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2 79th LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION
ADDRESS BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE
The Honorable Geoffrey S. Connor, secretary of state of the State of Texas,
addressed the house, speaking as follows:
Honorable representatives-elect, families, friends, and distinguished guests.
Opening the legislative session is one of the traditional responsibilities of the
Texas secretary of state, and it is a tremendous honor for me to make a small
contribution to this, your convocation, as you embark upon the worthy tasks that
lie before you.
The chamber you now inhabit has been home to 57 legislative sessions since
the current Capitol building opened its doors in 1888. Those who came long
before you knew a different Texas than the one we know today. Members
serving have had different visions of what they wanted the state to be. But we all
owe them a great debt. These previous legislatures have steered Texas through
prosperous times as well as lean ones-helping shape the state that we love and,
now, passing the mantle of leadership to you.
The state that you now help guide is one of the most remarkable success
stories in history. We have a population of 22 million, and our gross state product
is slated to reach $925 billion in 2005. Those numbers make Texas equal to or
better than many of the world's most developed nations. We are the birthplace of
the microchip, the center of humanity's manned space program, the major
gateway for America's trade with the world, and a center for education, science,
and the arts.
We Texans must maintain our ambitions in the 21st Century. We are already
America's largest exporter, $100 billion sent abroad in 2003, though with
increasing global competition, we must continue to reach out to new business
partners at home and abroad. We must empower our own business community
and ensure that all Texans have an equitable opportunity to join that community.
We must maintain our high-tech edge that is so essential for Texas to become the
global center for the next wave of technology growth: biotechnology and
nanotechnology. The decisions made by this body have great power to shape all
these things.
The enormous wealth generated by Texans is an engine for prosperity,
health, and happiness for our citizens. Much of Texas' wealth finds its way to
this body. Your collective choices will decide how to achieve the best balance
and allocation of those funds.
The members of this body represent the enormous range and diversity of
Texans. The people of Texas have chosen you to be their representatives in
shaping Texas for the future. They have entrusted you with one of the most
awesome and sacred things there is-the destiny of this state. This is a great
honor, but also a tremendous responsibility to bear.
Remember the legacies of those who have come before you. Honor them
and heed their wisdom, but then, of course, find your own voice.
Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat; whether you come from
North, South, East, West, or Central Texas; whether your constituency is rural or
urban, you are all Texans, and you are all part of something very special.
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Regular Session of the Seventy-Ninth Legislature of the State of Texas, Volume 1, legislative document, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth97462/m1/6/?q=%222005-01-11%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.