TEXAS CELEBRATES THE 1999 INAUGURAL
"TOGETHER WE CAN/JUNTOS PODEMOS"
AUSTIN - Members of the Senate convened in the Senate Chamber briefly before moving outside for the inaugural ceremony. A joint session of the Legislature was called to order in front of the Capitol, first by President Pro Tempore Teel Bivins of Amarillo, and then by Pete Laney of Hale Center, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
A 19 gun salute marked the beginning of the inauguration ceremony at noon. Lt. Governor Bullock and his wife, Jan, took their place next to former President George Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush as they celebrated the beginning of their son's second term as the top executive of Texas.
With a former president, an international ambassador, and governors from around the country, thousands of Texans came to the State Capitol in Austin to celebrate the 1999 Texas Inauguration with the theme "Together We Can/Juntos Podemos". Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Phillips administered the oath of office to Lt. Governor Rick Perry, who replaces retiring Lt. Governor Bob Bullock as the presiding officer of the Senate.
Immediately after taking the oath of office, Perry kissed his wife, Anita, and children, Griffin and Sydney. Bivins introduced the new lt. governor to a standing crowd. Perry stressed his dedication to education, improving the criminal justice system, and cutting taxes in his inauguration speech.
"Once our basic education, criminal justice, infrastructure and human service priorities are met," said Perry, "we should give the people of Texas some of their money back in the form of tax cuts."
Perry pledged to put partisanship aside, a characteristic that contributed to Bullock's appeal with senators of both parties.
Phillips then administered the oath to Governor George W. Bush, who became the first governor elected to two consecutive four year terms. In his inaugural address, Bush stressed that he hoped for a diverse Texas unified by common values.
Following the ceremony, the inaugural committee hosted a barbecue and a parade down Congress Avenue, followed by four Inaugural Balls that evening.
The Senate reconvenes at 1:00pm Wednesday, January 20, 1999.
The Senate is adjourned until 1 p.m. tomorrow.
Events
1/20/99, Wednesday - Joint Interim Committee on Statutory Probate Courts at 9:30 a.m. in the Capitol Extension, room E1.012
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