By:  Turner, S.                                      H.C.R. No. 149
       73R8158 MPC-D
                                 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
    1-2  Child is a landmark international treaty that was adopted by the
    1-3  General Assembly on November 20, 1989, and went into effect in
    1-4  September 1990; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, The convention establishes a comprehensive vision
    1-6  and framework for all nations to embrace to ensure the survival,
    1-7  protection, and development of all the world's children; and
    1-8        WHEREAS, Outlined in the 54 articles of the convention are
    1-9  the standards and aspirations our nation has for its children,
   1-10  including the protection against want, hunger, unnecessary illness,
   1-11  abuse, neglect, exploitation, and discrimination on the basis of
   1-12  race, color, sex, handicap, national origin, religion, or birth
   1-13  status; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, Already 150 nations either have signed or have
   1-15  ratified the convention in what has been the quickest and most
   1-16  overwhelming display of support for an international treaty in
   1-17  history; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, The United States is among just a handful of
   1-19  nations, including Iraq, Libya, Saudia Arabia, Cambodia, Somalia,
   1-20  Malaysia, and South Africa, which have failed to either sign or
   1-21  ratify this most fundamental, yet vital treaty; and
   1-22        WHEREAS, Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the
   1-23  Child would apply only to the extent that the convention does not
   1-24  conflict with state or federal law, and nations can take
    2-1  reservations from specific provisions or file understandings
    2-2  explaining how they will interpret a particular provision or
    2-3  article; and
    2-4        WHEREAS, The United States has an excellent opportunity in
    2-5  its capacity as a world leader to assert a strong moral position
    2-6  and to join with other nations to promote the survival, protection,
    2-7  and development of all children; now, therefore, be it
    2-8        RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
    2-9  hereby strongly encourage the president of the United States to
   2-10  forward the Convention on the Rights of the Child to the United
   2-11  States Senate for consideration of ratification and to enlist the
   2-12  cooperation of the full United States Senate to expedite its
   2-13  ratification; and, be it further
   2-14        RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
   2-15  copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
   2-16  the speaker of the house of representatives and president of the
   2-17  senate of the United States Congress, and to all members of the
   2-18  Texas delegation to the congress with the request that it be
   2-19  officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the
   2-20  Congress of the United States of America.