HR137 - Honoring Frances "Poppy" Northcutt for her professional and civic achievements.

      H.R. No. 137       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Our communities draw immeasurable strength from   individuals such as Frances Northcutt of Houston, who has   distinguished herself in the course of her exemplary career; and          WHEREAS, A graduate of The University of Texas, "Poppy"   Northcutt joined TRW Systems, a NASA contractor, in 1965, and she   accepted an assignment to work as a computational aide at Johnson   Space Center; admired and respected for her skill, determination,   and professionalism, she eventually received a promotion to the   technical team and became the first woman to serve in an operational   support role at NASA's Mission Control Center; some of her most   notable career highlights include calculating the return-to-Earth   trajectories for the Apollo 8 mission and receiving the   Presidential Medal of Freedom as part of the team that rescued the   Apollo 13 astronauts; and          WHEREAS, Ms. Northcutt continued to work as an engineer while   studying law at the University of Houston, and she received her   juris doctor in 1981; over the years, she served as the first felony   prosecutor in the domestic violence unit at the Harris County   District Attorney's Office, and she clerked for a federal appellate   judge in Alabama; she also prosecuted and later defended numerous   criminal cases, and after entering private practice, she   specialized in criminal trial and appellate work; today, she is a   referral lawyer for Jane's Due Process, a nonprofit that provides   legal assistance to pregnant minors; and          WHEREAS, A dedicated advocate for women's rights,   Ms. Northcutt serves as president of the Houston Area and Texas   State chapters of the National Organization for Women, and she is a   former member of the organization's national board of directors; in   addition, she was the founding chair of the Harris County Women's   Political Caucus, and she was named the first women's advocate for   the City of Houston; she has also served as a special conference   consultant for the National Women's Conference; along the way, she   has volunteered at polling locations, and she currently serves as   an election judge; and          WHEREAS, A renowned trailblazer for women in engineering,   Poppy Northcutt made history through her contributions to the   Apollo program, and she has benefited her fellow citizens through a   lifetime of purposeful endeavor that continues to inspire all those   who know her; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby honor Frances "Poppy" Northcutt for her   professional and civic achievements and extend to her sincere best   wishes for continued success in all her endeavors; and, be it   further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for Ms. Northcutt as an expression of high regard by the   Texas House of Representatives.     Johnson     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 137 was adopted by the House on April   17, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 133, Nays 7, 2 present, not   voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House