H.R. No. 2677

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The end of an era in Texas journalism has come with
	the retirement of Paul Burka from Texas Monthly magazine in March
	2015; and
	WHEREAS, Born in Galveston, Mr. Burka earned a bachelor's
	degree in history from Rice University and a law degree from The
	University of Texas at Austin; he was accepted to the State Bar of
	Texas, and he began his career as an attorney with the Texas
	Legislature, where, as counsel to the Senate Natural Resources
	Committee, he was able to closely observe state legislators in
	their native habitat; and
	WHEREAS, In March 1974, Mr. Burka submitted a Texas-themed
	limerick puzzle to a new periodical called Texas Monthly, and the
	following month he published his first story for the magazine,
	earning $75 for a piece about the old baseball stadium at The
	University of Texas; on October 1, 1974, he switched careers and
	joined the magazine's staff full-time, working out of its original
	offices at 15th and Guadalupe in downtown Austin; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Burka quickly became one of the magazine's
	signature writers, crafting stylish and well-researched articles
	about Texas barbecue, the Big Bend region, the Houston Astros, the
	Southwest Conference, and noteworthy Texas authors; he won a
	National Magazine Award for a two-part story on the oil tycoon
	Clinton Menges in 1985, and he also won acclaim for his profile of
	John Connally, a cover story calling the Chevy Suburban the
	"National Car of Texas," an insightful article about the struggles
	of a ranching family in Uvalde, and a moving piece about the Texas
	A&M bonfire tragedy; and
	WHEREAS, In addition, Mr. Burka has served the magazine and
	its readers as a skilled editor of the work of other reporters, and
	he has been a mentor and an inspiration to younger writers; and
	WHEREAS, Above all, Mr. Burka has been, for many years, one
	of the most knowledgeable, experienced, and influential
	commentators on Texas politics, sharing his encyclopedic knowledge
	of the Texas Legislature and its colorful history with the readers
	of Texas Monthly and the popular Burka Blog, which he started in
	2006, and to which he will occasionally continue to contribute; he
	has also regularly explained the ways of Texas and Texans to the
	viewers of Fox, MSNBC, NBC, and CNN, and he has inspired both fear
	and delight in legislators as one of the creators of the magazine's
	annual list of the 10 best and 10 worst legislators; and
	WHEREAS, For more than 40 years, this brilliant reporter and
	commentator has informed and enlightened readers of all political
	persuasions with his deep and affectionate understanding of the
	Lone Star State, and he may indeed take pride in the respect with
	which he is regarded by generations of his fellow Texans; now,
	therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
	Legislature hereby congratulate Paul Burka on his retirement from
	Texas Monthly and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued
	success and happiness; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Mr. Burka as an expression of high regard by the Texas
	House of Representatives.
	Raymond
	Straus González Otto
	Allen Guerra Paddie
	Alonzo Guillen Parker
	Alvarado Gutierrez Paul
	Anchia Harless Peña
	Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan
	Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips
	Ashby Howard Pickett
	Aycock Huberty Price
	Bell Hughes Raney
	Bernal Hunter Raymond
	Blanco Isaac Reynolds
	Bohac Israel Riddle
	Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi
	Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar
	Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis
	Burns Keough Romero, Jr.
	Burrows King of Hemphill Rose
	Button King of Parker Sanford
	Canales King of Taylor Schaefer
	Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield
	Clardy Klick Schubert
	Coleman Koop Shaheen
	Collier Krause Sheets
	Cook Kuempel Sheffield
	Craddick Landgraf Simmons
	Crownover Larson Simpson
	Cyrier Laubenberg Smith
	Dale Leach Smithee
	Darby Longoria Spitzer
	Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer
	Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson
	Deshotel Márquez Stickland
	Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
	Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
	Elkins McClendon Tinderholt
	Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin
	Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris
	Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant
	Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver
	Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba
	Fletcher Minjarez Vo
	Flynn Moody Walle
	Frank Morrison White of Bell
	Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
	Galindo Murphy Workman
	Geren Murr Wray
	Giddings Naishtat Wu
	Goldman Nevárez Zedler
	Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 2677 was adopted by the House on May 19,
	2015, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House