Whereas Sylvester Turner was born and raised in Houston, Texas, earning his Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Houston and later a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School;

Whereas, in 1989, Sylvester Turner was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, beginning a distinguished 27-year career in the Texas House of Representatives;

Whereas Representative Turner was named Speaker pro tem of the Texas House in 2003, a position he would hold for 6 years;

Whereas, in 2015, Sylvester Turner was elected the 62nd mayor of Houston;

Whereas, throughout Mayor Turner’s tenure in office, he worked unwaveringly to improve economic opportunity, critical infrastructure, and public safety in Houston;

Whereas Mayor Turner led Houston through both Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and the COVID–19 pandemic, 2 of the most challenging moments in the city’s history;

Whereas, in 2023, Mayor Turner was elected to the United States House of Representatives; and

Whereas Representative Turner represented Texas 18th Congressional District, a seat previously held by trailblazers including Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leland, Craig Washington, and Sheila Jackson Lee: Now, therefore, be it