WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the Senate resolution introduced by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) congratulating Texas A&M University for 150 years of service to the State of Texas and the United States, celebrating their positive impact on hundreds of thousands of students, and commending their commitment to honoring tradition, promoting academic excellence, and cultivating leadership for future generations passed the Senate unanimously. Text is below, and you can view the full resolution here.

“Whereas President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Land-Grant Agricultural and Mechanical College Act of 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) (commonly known as and referred to in this preamble as the “Morrill Land-Grant Act”), granting public lands to the States to fund colleges for the benefit of agriculture, mechanic arts, and military tactics and, thereby establishing a system of land-grant universities in the United States;

Whereas the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (AMC) was chartered on April 17, 1871, under the Morrill Land-Grant Act by the Texas Legislature, making it the first public institution of higher education in the State of Texas;

Whereas, on October 4, 1876, the AMC, founded as a military institution grounded in discipline, leadership, and camaraderie, held its inaugural day of classes with 6 students and 6 faculty members;

Whereas Major Robert P.W. Morris, a Virginia Military Institute graduate, was among the first 6 faculty members and served as the Corps of Cadets’ first commandant;

Whereas, in 1887, the Scott Volunteers, renamed the Ross Volunteers in 1890, were established as a cadet drill team and would later serve as the official honor guard of the governor of Texas, making the company the oldest of its kind in Texas;

Whereas, in 1890, Lawrence Sullivan Ross, former governor of Texas, was appointed President of AMC;

Whereas, in 1894, the nationally acclaimed Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, known for its precision military marching formations, was formed;

Whereas, in 1917, the AMC offered its campus facilities and equipment for war training and was the first college in the United States to do so;

Whereas, during World War I, approximately 49 percent of all AMC graduates (referred to in this preamble as “Aggies”) were in military service;

Whereas, during World War I, more than 2,000 Aggies served and more than 70 Aggies made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States;

Whereas, during World War II, more than 20,000 Aggies entered the Armed Forces of the United States, and the entire senior class of 1943 mobilized directly into service;

Whereas, during World War II, the AMC produced more than 14,000 Aggies who served as officers and 29 Aggies who reached the rank of general, contributing more officers to the Armed Forces than the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy combined;

Whereas, during World War II, Aggies fought in every major theater of the war, including the D-Day invasion, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Pacific campaign, and were among the liberators of Nazi concentration camps;

Whereas, on April 21, 1946, 128 Aggie veterans of World War II returned to Corregidor Island to honor fallen comrades by reading aloud the names of the 27 Aggies, and thereby established the way Aggie Muster is observed today, serving as an enduring example of loyalty and remembrance;

Whereas AMC’s contributions to World War I and World War II fundamentally shaped the university’s culture, traditions, and identity as a leading military and land-grant institution;

Whereas the Fish Drill Team, formed in 1947 by 36 freshmen as a competitive rifle drill squad within the AMC Corps of Cadets that promotes unity and military precision, is now integral to the university’s mission to develop leaders of character dedicated to serving the greater good;

Whereas, in 1950, the Liberty Bell replica given to Texas was presented to AMC to honor the university’s extraordinary military service and sacrifice;

Whereas, on April 21, 1951, the Memorial Student Center was dedicated in honor of students killed during military service to the United States;

Whereas James Earl Rudder, who graduated from AMC in 1932, became a United States Army Major General known for leading the 2nd Ranger Battalion on D-Day, and in 1959, he was appointed President of the university;

Whereas, on February 24, 1962, the Texas Maritime Academy, one of only 6 maritime academies in the United States, was established to give cadets practical experience in seamanship, navigation, and engineering operations;

Whereas, in 1963, under President Rudder’s leadership, the university opened enrollment to African American students and began admitting women on a limited basis;

Whereas, in 1963, the Texas Legislature renamed the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas as Texas A&M University, maintaining a symbolic link to the school’s past;

Whereas, in 1964, the first African American freshmen joined the Corps of Cadets;

Whereas, in 1965, participation in the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets was made voluntary, while the Corps continued to embody the university’s commitment to spirit and traditions;

Whereas, in 1968, the Mitchell Campus at Texas A&M University at Galveston was established on 100 acres on Pelican Island that was donated by George P. Mitchell, who graduated from AMC in 1940;

Whereas, in 1971, the Texas Maritime Academy was incorporated into the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Resources, later renamed the Moody College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Resources;

Whereas, in 1972, the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps was established at Texas A&M University, making the Corps of Cadets open to all branches of the Armed Forces;

Whereas, in 1973, Parsons Mounted Cavalry, named after former Corps Commandant Colonel Thomas R. Parsons, who graduated from AMC in 1949, was founded as the only collegiate mounted cavalry unit in the United States;

Whereas, in 1974, the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets began admitting women into the Corps, with 51 women joining the all-female outfit W-1;

Whereas, in 1981, the Texas Legislature officially renamed the Moody College as Texas A&M University at Galveston;

Whereas, in 1984, Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug, known as the Father of the Green Revolution, began teaching and conducting research at Texas A&M University, underscoring the university’s global impact, cutting-edge research, and academic excellence;

Whereas, in 1989, Texas A&M University is recognized as one of the first land-, sea-, and space-grant universities in the nation;

Whereas, on November 6, 1997, former United States President George H.W. Bush dedicated the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum to Texas A&M University’s campus because of the university’s strong culture of tradition, duty, and public service;

Whereas, in 1999, the Texas A&M Health Science Center was founded to organize and unify health-related academic programs into one comprehensive health institution, and now serves as an interdisciplinary and collaborative community dedicated to improving health and quality of life;

Whereas, in 2001, Texas A&M University became a member of the Association of American Universities, an association of leading research universities at the forefront of innovation, scholarship, and solutions that contribute to scientific progress, economic development, and national security;

Whereas, in 2002, Dr. Robert Gates became the 22nd President of Texas A&M University, and in 2006 he was appointed to serve as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense;

Whereas, in 2002, Texas A&M University was designated the Military College of Texas by former Governor Rick Perry, who graduated from Texas A&M University in 1972, in recognition of the university’s extensive history of military service, officer training programs, and student organizations that develop patriotic leaders;

Whereas, in August 2013, Texas A&M University acquired Texas Wesleyan Law School, renamed the Texas A&M University School of Law, which provides legal education that, as of the date of this resolution, is ranked among the top-25 nationally and produces service-oriented lawyers;

Whereas, in 2017, the Higher Education Center at McAllen was established, which empowers students to fulfill individual career goals, enhances economic development of the Rio Grande Valley, and supports a strong labor market;

Whereas, in 2021, Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service opened its Washington, DC, teaching site, to offer graduate students from diverse backgrounds a path to successful careers in national security, diplomacy, and intelligence;

Whereas, as of the date of this resolution, Texas A&M University has grown to host more than 81,300 students participating in more than 410 programs of study across 17 colleges and schools, 3 branch campuses, a law school, and specialized health science centers across Texas;

Whereas Texas A&M University offers more than 1,300 student organizations, where students cultivate character grounded in the Aggie Core Values;

Whereas Texas A&M University’s oldest, largest, and most recognizable student organization is the Corps of Cadets;

Whereas Texas A&M University holds a Senior Military College (SMC) designation, has the largest uniformed student body outside the United States service academies, and consistently commissions more officers into the United States Armed Forces than any other SMC;

Whereas Texas A&M University has established a learning environment that prepares the next generation of leaders to make a difference in the State of Texas, the United States, and around the world (referred to in this preamble as “Aggie leaders”);

Whereas notable Aggie leaders include 14 United States Congressmen, 3 United States Cabinet Secretaries, 2 Governors, 2 International Heads of State, dozens of State legislators, 3 National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts, and 9 Medal of Honor recipients;

Whereas Texas A&M University ranks among the top research institutions in the United States and, as of 2024, the largest in Texas, with annual research expenditures of more than $1,500,000,000, making Texas A&M University a leader in discoveries in science, security, health, energy, agriculture, and space;

Whereas quality academic and research experiences at Texas A&M University are supported by The Texas A&M Foundation, where The Foundation, founded in 1953 by 21 former students, serves as the primary academic fundraiser for the university, raising $412,000,000 in 2025 through collaboration with former students, corporations, and supporters;

Whereas Texas A&M University, a proud member of the Southeastern Conference, fields more than 650 student-athletes across 20 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men’s and women’s varsity teams and has earned 33 national championship titles, including recent championships in women’s volleyball and women’s tennis;

Whereas the traditions surrounding Texas A&M Athletics, including the 12th Man, Midnight Yell, and Kyle Field, reflect the unity and school spirit of tens of thousands of Aggie students, alumni, and fans;

Whereas Texas A&M Athletics is supported by the 12th Man Foundation, which is a charitable organization founded in 1950 to raise funds for athletes returning from World War II and has raised more than $47,000,000 for scholarships, programs, and facilities in support of championship athletics;

Whereas, since its founding in 1876, more than 653,000 students have graduated from Texas A&M University;

Whereas Texas A&M University is supported by The Association of Former Students, which was formed in 1919 by a coalition of alumni groups and serves to strengthen the network of former students, promote the interests of Texas A&M University, and serve the current student body, including by raising $16,700,000 in 2025 and supporting 15 constituent networks and 259 chartered clubs worldwide;

Whereas Texas A&M University is committed to honoring tradition, promoting academic excellence, exemplifying service, driving discovery and innovation, and cultivating leadership for future generations; and

Whereas October 4, 2026, marks 150 years of service by Texas A&M University to the State of Texas and the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate

(1) commends and congratulates Texas A&M University for 150 years of service to the State of Texas and the United States;

(2) recognizes Texas A&M University’s 150 years of service and its impact as a force for good for the State of Texas and the United States; and

(3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to—

(A) the chairman of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents; Mr. Robert Albritton;

(B) the chancellor of the Texas A&M University, the Honorable Glenn Hegar; and

(C) the president of Texas A&M University, Dr. Susan Ballabina.”