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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, People of Asian descent have been an integral part |
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of Texas' culture and history for more than 150 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas is home to 1.5 million Asian Americans and |
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Pacific Islanders, and there are more than 150,000 Asian |
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American-owned businesses across the state that generate $64 |
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million in annual revenue; over 100,000 Texas health care workers |
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of Asian descent are serving on the frontlines in the battle against |
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the COVID-19 pandemic; and |
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WHEREAS, Escalating anti-Asian rhetoric has resulted in |
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Asian Americans being attacked and scapegoated for the COVID-19 |
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pandemic and has encouraged vandals to target Asian American |
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businesses and institutions; in San Antonio, a Vietnamese |
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American-owned noodle shop was vandalized with racist graffiti; in |
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Austin, a Buddhist temple was desecrated by an intruder; and |
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WHEREAS, Anti-Asian American hate crimes increased by almost |
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150 percent over the previous year in America's most populous |
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cities, and there have been more than 2,800 reported hate incidents |
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against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from the start of the |
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pandemic; in San Angelo, a Korean student was assaulted after |
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standing up for himself to a racist neighbor; in Midland, a Burmese |
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family of three, including children ages two and six, were |
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assaulted and stabbed while shopping for groceries; eight people, |
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including six Asian American women, who were murdered in day spas in |
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the Atlanta, Georgia, area are the most recent casualties of |
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anti-Asian bigotry in the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, Hateful rhetoric and violence against Asian |
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Americans has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, |
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and there is much work to be done to ensure their safety and |
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well-being; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby strongly condemn and denounce anti-Asian |
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bigotry, racism, and all hateful speech and violent action related |
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to COVID-19; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge federal, |
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state, and local law enforcement officials to investigate and |
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document all credible reports of hate crimes, incidents, and |
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threats against the Asian American community in Texas. |