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

89(R) HCR 142 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

H.C.R. No. 142

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

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