By Truan S.C.R. No. 21 75R5073 RNS-D CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 1-2 Reconciliation Act of 1996 denies Medicaid and other benefits to 1-3 noncitizens who are legal residents of the United States, with 1-4 certain exceptions, for a period of five years after their entry 1-5 into this country; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Many individuals who will be denied basic benefits 1-7 under the Act work, pay taxes, and assume the burdens and 1-8 responsibilities of civic life; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Persons who are elderly, disabled, and incapable of 1-10 caring for themselves, along with young children and pregnant 1-11 women, may also be denied health care because of new rules "to 1-12 assure that aliens be self-reliant in accordance with national 1-13 immigration policy"; and 1-14 WHEREAS, The consequences of denying the basic necessities of 1-15 life to those incapable of supporting themselves are unduly severe, 1-16 and it is manifestly unjust to require noncitizens to pay taxes and 1-17 contribute to the public good but deny them even minimal public 1-18 assistance; and 1-19 WHEREAS, It is unworthy of a great nation to turn its back on 1-20 those who are most vulnerable simply because they will reside here 1-21 as our guests and not as fellow citizens; now, therefore, be it 1-22 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-23 hereby respectfully request the Congress of the United States to 1-24 amend federal law to allow legal aliens access to Medicaid 2-1 benefits; and, be it further 2-2 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 2-3 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 2-4 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 2-5 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of 2-6 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 2-7 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 2-8 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.