[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1547 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1547

  Honoring the investiture of Texas A&M University's 27th President, 
retired Air Force General Mark A. Welsh III, and extending best wishes 
                         to Aggies everywhere.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 22, 2024

  Mr. McCaul (for himself, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Pfluger, Ms. Granger, Mr. 
  Sessions, Ms. Van Duyne, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Carter of Texas, and Mr. 
  Hunt) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the investiture of Texas A&M University's 27th President, 
retired Air Force General Mark A. Welsh III, and extending best wishes 
                         to Aggies everywhere.

Whereas President Mark A. Welsh III has exemplified Texas A&M University's core 
        values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and 
        selfless service, throughout his career;
Whereas the example set by President Mark A. Welsh III inspires our community to 
        develop leaders of character dedicated to serving the greater good;
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III believes, ``Leadership is a gift. It's given by those 
        who follow, but you have to be worthy of it'';
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III was born to his proud Aggie father, Mark A. Welsh, 
        Jr., class of 1946, and mother Margaret (Peg), in San Antonio, Texas, on 
        January 26, 1954;
Whereas he earned a bachelor of science from the United States Air Force Academy 
        and a master of science degree in computer resource management from 
        Webster University;
Whereas he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College, the Air 
        War College, and the National War College;
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III married his wife Betty on February 25, 1978, and is 
        father to four Aggies: Mark (IV), John, Matthew, and Elizabeth, who are 
        among over a dozen Aggies in his family;
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III was a fellow of Seminar XXI at the Massachusetts 
        Institute of Technology, a fellow of the National Security Studies 
        Program of Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University, a fellow of 
        Ukrainian Security Studies at the John F. Kennedy School of Government 
        at Harvard University, a fellow of the Pinnacle Course of the National 
        Defense University, and a graduate of the General Manager Program at the 
        Harvard Business School;
Whereas, during his long military career, he received numerous awards and 
        decorations, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak 
        leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Defense 
        Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with oak 
        leaf cluster, and Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster;
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III flew more than 3,300 hours in the F-16, A-10, T-37, 
        and TG-7A;
Whereas as a combat pilot, he was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses for 
        missions flown in Desert Storm;
Whereas he served as Commander of the United States Air Forces in Europe and 
        Commander of NATO Air Command at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, and as 
        Associate Director of Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence 
        Agency;
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III became the 20th Chief of Staff of the Air Force in 
        August 2012, serving as the senior uniformed Air Force officer 
        responsible for the organization, training, and equipping of 664,000 
        members and civilian employees serving in the United States and 
        overseas;
Whereas as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he served as a military 
        advisor to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council, and 
        President of the United States;
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III also served as the Commandant of the United States Air 
        Force Academy;
Whereas he retired from the Air Force as a four-star general in 2016, after 40 
        years of distinguished service;
Whereas upon his retirement on July 1, 2016, the Secretary of the Air Force 
        created a new award in his honor, the General Mark A. Welsh III One Air 
        Force Award, which is awarded to a team that ``demonstrates improved 
        effectiveness, operational readiness, and mission accomplishment through 
        integrated solutions'';
Whereas Mark A. Welsh III, after retiring from the Air Force, continued his 
        career of public service as Dean of the Bush School of Government and 
        Public Service of Texas A&M University; and
Whereas he once again answered the noble call of service to become the 27th 
        president of Texas A&M University on December 12, 2023, after being 
        unanimously approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of 
        Regents: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors retired Air 
Force General Mark A. Welsh III as the 27th President of Texas A&M 
University on this occasion of his investiture ceremony.
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