Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.

Whereas the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the City of Houston, Texas (referred to in this resolution as IAH), was first opened for operation on June 8, 1969;

Whereas in 1997, IAH was named in honor of the Nation’s 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush, a longtime resident of Houston who, as a Member of the Houston congressional delegation, was present at the 1969 opening of the airport;

Whereas IAH is the largest airport in Houston, serving over 43,000,000 passengers in 2008, is the 8th-largest airport in the United States and the 16th-largest in the world for total passengers served;

Whereas more than 700,000,000 people have passed through IAH’s gates since its opening;

Whereas IAH has grown to become a world-class international gateway offering service to more than 109 domestic and 65 nonstop international destinations in over 32 countries;

Whereas in 1990, the City of Houston named the IAH international arrivals building, now the IAH Terminal D, in honor of the distinguished Congressman for the 18th District of Texas, George Thomas Mickey Leland, a renowned antipoverty activist who died tragically in 1989 while on a humanitarian visit to Ethiopia;

Whereas IAH operates the largest passenger international arrivals facility in the Nation and was selected by the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security as the first Model Port for its efficiency in welcoming international passengers arriving in the United States;

Whereas IAH is a regional and world leader in air cargo processing, consolidation, and distribution;

Whereas IAH is a critical component of the Houston economy, supporting more than 151,000 jobs and contributing over $24,000,000,000 in economic benefits to the Houston region; and

Whereas IAH serves 30 airlines and is the headquarters and major hub for award-winning Continental Airlines, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2009: Now, therefore, be it