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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Each year, Americans set aside a special day to |
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honor those members of the U.S. military forces who gave their lives |
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in the line of duty; and |
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WHEREAS, Memorial Day originated in the years following the |
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Civil War, when Americans held springtime tributes for soldiers who |
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had been killed during the conflict, laying flowers on their graves |
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and offering prayers; originally known as Decoration Day, the |
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tradition expanded after World War I in order to recognize all |
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military personnel who died in service to the country; in 1971, the |
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federal government established Memorial Day as a national holiday, |
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to be held annually on the last Monday in May; and |
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WHEREAS, The toll of war has been a heavy one; since the |
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founding of our republic, more than one million U.S. military |
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personnel have died during wartime, and an even higher number have |
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been wounded; thousands have endured extreme privation as prisoners |
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of war, and thousands have been listed as missing in action; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout Texas, residents make a special effort to |
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honor fallen service members; the loss of these valiant men and |
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women is keenly felt not only by their loved ones but also by the |
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communities in which they resided, as well as by all Texans who |
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treasure the gift of freedom for which they fought; and |
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WHEREAS, To those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in |
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behalf of our country, we owe a debt that is truly beyond measure; |
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while Memorial Day remains an essential and meaningful observance, |
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its poignance can be amplified by officially designating the entire |
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month of May in memory of those heroic individuals who gave all in |
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service to their fellow citizens; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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2nd Called Session, hereby designate May as Memorial Month; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |