Read the full stored bill text
89(R) HR 1136 - Enrolled version - Bill Text
H.R. No. 1136
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett Alvarez Jr.
rendered exceptional service to his country during the Vietnam War;
and
WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez earned an electrical engineering
degree from Santa Clara University, and in 1960, he answered his
nation's call to duty by joining the U.S. Navy; in 1964, he was
serving as a fighter pilot on the USS
Constellation
aircraft
carrier during a time of heightening tensions in the South China
Sea; two U.S. destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin were fired
upon by North Vietnamese forces in early August, and on August 5,
Mr. Alvarez was helping to carry out a retaliatory bombing mission
when his Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was hit by enemy fire; as the cockpit
filled with smoke, he made one final radio transmission before
ejecting from his plane and plunging into the sea; and
WHEREAS, The first American to be shot down over North
Vietnam, Mr. Alvarez became a prisoner of war, entering what would
become the second-longest period of captivity for an American
service member in the Vietnam conflict; demonstrating
extraordinary courage and resilience, he spent most of his eight
years and seven months of captivity at Hoa Lo Prison, where he was
repeatedly beaten and tortured and communicated with his fellow
POWs by tapping out coded messages on the prison walls; he was
released on February 12, 1973; in recognition of his heroism, he
was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, two
Purple Hearts, two Legions of Merit, and two Bronze Star Medals; in
2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the Everett Alvarez, Jr.
Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023, which awarded Commander
Alvarez with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian
award in the U.S.; in January 2025, the secretary of the navy
announced that a warship would be named the USS
Everett Alvarez
in
Commander Alvarez's honor; and
WHEREAS, After he returned from Vietnam, Commander Alvarez
served as deputy director of the Peace Corps, as deputy
administrator of the U.S. Veterans Administration, and as vice
president for government services with the Hospital Corporation of
America; additionally, he is chief executive officer of the Alvarez
LLC consulting firm he founded, he earned a juris doctor degree from
the George Washington School of Law, and he authored two books about
his captivity and his life afterward; an advocate for the veterans
community, he is involved with wounded warrior initiatives with his
wife, Tammy; and
WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez exemplified the highest ideals of
the United States armed forces during his time in uniform, and for
his valor, sacrifice, and selfless commitment, Americans owe him a
lasting debt of gratitude; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby commend retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett
Alvarez Jr. for his dedicated service in the Vietnam War and extend
to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Commander Alvarez as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.
Shaheen
Burrows
Guerra
Morales Shaw
Alders
Guillen
Morgan
Allen
Harless
Muñoz
Anchía
Harris
Noble
Ashby
Harris Davila
Olcott
Barry
Harrison
Oliverson
Bell of Kaufman
Hayes
Ordaz
Bell of Montgomery
Hefner
Orr
Bernal
Hernandez
Patterson
Bhojani
Hickland
Paul
Bonnen
Hinojosa
Perez of El Paso
Bowers
Holt
Perez of Harris
Bryant
Hopper
Phelan
Buckley
Howard
Pierson
Bucy
Hull
Plesa
Bumgarner
Hunter
Raymond
Button
Isaac
Reynolds
Cain
Johnson
Richardson
Campos
Jones of Dallas
Rodríguez Ramos
Canales
Jones of Harris
Romero
Capriglione
Kerwin
Rose
Cole
King
Rosenthal
Collier
Kitzman
Schatzline
Cook
LaHood
Schofield
Cortez
Lalani
Schoolcraft
Craddick
Lambert
Shaheen
Cunningham
Landgraf
Shofner
Curry
Leach
Simmons
Darby
Leo Wilson
Slawson
A. Davis of Dallas
Little
Smithee
Y. Davis of Dallas
Longoria
Spiller
Dean
Lopez of Bexar
Swanson
DeAyala
Lopez of Cameron
Talarico
Dorazio
Louderback
Tepper
Dutton
Lowe
Thompson
Dyson
Lozano
Tinderholt
Fairly
Lujan
Toth
Flores
Luther
Troxclair
Frank
Manuel
Turner
Gámez
Martinez
VanDeaver
Garcia of Bexar
Martinez Fischer
Vasut
Garcia of Dallas
McLaughlin
Villalobos
Garcia Hernandez
McQueeney
Virdell
Gates
Metcalf
Vo
Gerdes
Meyer
Walle
Geren
Meza
Ward Johnson
Gervin-Hawkins
Money
Wharton
González of Dallas
Moody
Wilson
González of El Paso
Morales of Harris
Wu
Goodwin
Morales of Maverick
Zwiener
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1136 was adopted by the House on May 15,
2025, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House