[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 148 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6282-S6283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 55--COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
  THE 1916 OPENING OF THE TEXAS A&M COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE & 
     BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AND THE 2016 OPENING OF THE NEW TEXAS A&M 
  VETERINARY & BIOMEDICAL EDUCATION COMPLEX IN COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS

  Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mr. Cruz) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                            S. Con. Res. 55

       Whereas the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & 
     Biomedical Sciences has experienced 100 years of growth from 
     a small school of veterinary medicine in 1916 to its present 
     role as a major veterinary and biomedical educational, 
     medical, and research center;
       Whereas the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & 
     Biomedical Sciences--
       (1) serves the great State of Texas and the United States 
     through advances in animal and human health;
       (2) supports the livestock industry;
       (3) provides viable and diverse professional career paths 
     for Texans;
       (4) promotes science, technology, engineering, and 
     mathematics education;
       (5) contributes to the economic viability and job 
     opportunities of local communities;
       (6) provides disaster and emergency response support for 
     animals throughout the State of Texas; and
       (7) advances the veterinary profession;

       Whereas the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & 
     Biomedical Sciences has continuously evolved with a changing 
     world to become a modern, dynamic, and highly respected 
     college of veterinary medicine and is

[[Page S6283]]

     one of the largest colleges of veterinary medicine in the 
     United States;
       Whereas, as of May 2016, the Texas A&M College of 
     Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences has graduated 7,576 
     veterinarians into the veterinary profession, contributing a 
     $4,000,000,000 economic benefit to the State of Texas;
       Whereas, in 2015, Quacquarelli Symonds, an educational firm 
     that ranks veterinary medicine schools, ranked the Texas A&M 
     College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences sixth in 
     the world and third in the United States, which is testament 
     to the hard work and dedication of generations of Aggie 
     students, faculty, staff, and veterinarians;
       Whereas the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & 
     Biomedical Sciences strives to improve the health and well-
     being of animals, humans, and the environment through--
       (1) collaborative learning, discovery, and innovation in 
     basic, applied, and translational research; and
       (2) commercialization in biomedical sciences;

       Whereas the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & 
     Biomedical Sciences offers research signature programs in 
     biomedical genomics, toxicology and environmental health, 
     infectious disease and biodefense, neuroscience, reproductive 
     biology, cardiovascular sciences, and veterinary clinical 
     research, with increasing strength in regenerative medicine;
       Whereas one of the core values of the Texas A&M College of 
     Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences is service, and the 
     Veterinary Emergency Team of the Texas A&M College of 
     Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences--
       (1) is the largest and most sophisticated veterinary 
     medical disaster response team in the United States;
       (2) provides cutting-edge emergency management education;
       (3) develops new knowledge in emergency preparedness and 
     response; and
       (4) develops emergency preparedness plans for local 
     communities throughout the State of Texas;

       Whereas the faculty, staff, and students of the Texas A&M 
     College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences 
     contribute to ever-evolving societal needs through their 
     mission of education, research, and service in the field of 
     veterinary medicine;
       Whereas, in addition to contributing to the veterinary 
     workforce, the economic benefit of the Texas A&M College of 
     Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences includes the 
     protection of the $18,000,000,000 animal agriculture industry 
     and the $7,000,000,000 wildlife industry of the State of 
     Texas;
       Whereas the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & 
     Biomedical Sciences is developing an integrated system that 
     connects distant communities and regions of the great State 
     of Texas through strategic partnerships with the Texas A&M 
     Veterinary Medical Center;
       Whereas the strategic partnerships with the Texas A&M 
     Veterinary Medical Center will leverage and synergize the 
     strengths of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & 
     Biomedical Sciences, the Texas A&M System, and 
     constituencies--
       (1) to advance animal, human, and environmental health 
     throughout the State of Texas;
       (2) to invest in the young people of the State of Texas as 
     they seek professional careers in veterinary medicine, 
     biomedical sciences, and related disciplines; and
       (3) to contribute to the stability and growth of the 
     economy of the State of Texas; and

       Whereas the new Texas A&M Veterinary & Biomedical Education 
     complex--
       (1) will house state-of-the-art classroom and teaching 
     laboratory space that will enhance the learning environment 
     for veterinary and biomedical science students;
       (2) combined with the expansion of the small animal 
     hospital, will--
          (A) provide opportunities for innovations in teaching; 
     and
          (B) nurture collaboration and creativity; and
       (3) will enable the recruitment of the best students, 
     faculty, and staff to the Texas A&M College of Veterinary 
     Medicine & Biomedical Sciences: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress commemorates the 100th anniversary 
     of the 1916 opening of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary 
     Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and the 2016 opening of the 
     new Texas A&M Veterinary & Biomedical Education complex in 
     College Station, Texas.

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