HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The American people have been threatened by
1-2 terrorists' actions against citizens, government, and private
1-3 property, with many of these terrorist activities being carried out
1-4 with explosive materials; and
1-5 WHEREAS, In passing the Antiterrorism and Effective Death
1-6 Penalty Act of 1996 (Pub. L. No. 104-132), the United States
1-7 Congress closed several loopholes in the effective administration
1-8 of justice against terrorist activities; in particular, mandating
1-9 that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) conduct a
1-10 study on the feasibility of tagging, or rendering inert, several
1-11 products related to the production of explosive materials; and
1-12 WHEREAS, The same act of congress also required the use of
1-13 detection agents in plastic explosives, increased penalties for
1-14 conspiracies involving the use of explosives, and provided
1-15 assistance to law enforcement personnel to combat the threat of
1-16 terrorism both domestically and abroad; and
1-17 WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas is aware of
1-18 the research and implementation efforts of other countries that may
1-19 provide useful information to protect lives and property through
1-20 the careful and successful use of taggants; and
1-21 WHEREAS, The BATF is being assisted in its effort to study
1-22 the technical options and feasibility by the National Research
1-23 Council (NRC), and to provide this assistance, the NRC has
1-24 established a "Committee on Marking, Rendering Inert, and Licensing
2-1 of Explosive Materials"; now, therefore, be it
2-2 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-3 hereby commend the United States Congress for recognizing the
2-4 threat to public health and security from the misuse of explosives;
2-5 and, be it further
2-6 RESOLVED, That the legislature pledge its full support to the
2-7 efforts now underway by the BATF and the NRC to study the economic,
2-8 practical, and technical feasibility of tagging, or otherwise
2-9 rendering inert, explosive materials; and, be it further
2-10 RESOLVED, That the legislature strongly support the active
2-11 participation of stakeholder interests, including representatives
2-12 of affected manufacturers and law enforcement personnel, in the
2-13 conduct of the BATF and NRC studies; and, be it further
2-14 RESOLVED, That the legislature urge the participants of the
2-15 NRC study to carefully consider the experiences of other countries
2-16 and how those experiences may relate to the NRC study; and, be it
2-17 further
2-18 RESOLVED, That the legislature looks forward to the results
2-19 of the BATF and NRC studies, both the interim report, which is due
2-20 April 1997, and the final report, which is due February 1998, to
2-21 advise the State of Texas in establishing reasonable and effective
2-22 controls on explosive materials and thereby contribute to the
2-23 enhanced protection of all Texans; and, be it further
2-24 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
2-25 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
2-26 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of
2-27 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of
3-1 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this
3-2 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a
3-3 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
Ehrhardt
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 94 was adopted by the House on
April 3, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 94 was adopted by the Senate on May
6, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor