By Nixon                                              S.C.R. No. 64
         76R11778 EFD-D                           
                                CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, The debt of gratitude that the nation owes to the
 1-2     men and women who have served in the United States armed forces is
 1-3     immense; these brave veterans have defended the values that our
 1-4     country holds dear, many facing perils of life and limb to carry
 1-5     out their duties; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Throughout the years, the people of the United
 1-7     States have chosen to reward veterans for their service; various
 1-8     federal and state programs designed to assist veterans with many
 1-9     aspects of their lives, such as obtaining an education, buying a
1-10     home, and receiving quality medical care, have been created as a
1-11     show of appreciation for their efforts; and
1-12           WHEREAS, One of the most innovative programs of this nature
1-13     is state-owned veterans homes; these facilities represent a unique
1-14     partnership of veterans organizations, health care providers, and
1-15     governmental entities at the local, state, and national level
1-16     working together to provide affordable, quality long-term care for
1-17     veterans; and
1-18           WHEREAS, While some states have funded state-owned veterans
1-19     homes since the end of the Civil War, Texas has only recently begun
1-20     to support such homes; under authority granted by the 75th
1-21     Legislature, the Veterans' Land Board is currently establishing
1-22     four state veterans homes and has secured funding from the United
1-23     States Department of Veterans Affairs that will pay over half of
1-24     the construction costs; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, Although the construction of these initial veterans
 2-2     homes is a positive step, there are certain areas of the state
 2-3     still in need of such facilities; for example, under current plans,
 2-4     veterans in the western, northern, central, and southeastern parts
 2-5     of the state will be served by these homes, but no dedicated
 2-6     long-term care facility for veterans is planned for East Texas; and
 2-7           WHEREAS, At present there are approximately 15,000 aged
 2-8     veterans living in the Tyler-Marshall-Longview-Nacogdoches region,
 2-9     many of whom have been well served by the Overton Brooks VA Medical
2-10     Center in Shreveport, Louisiana; however, as the overall veteran
2-11     population ages, this center, which also cares for veterans from
2-12     Arkansas and Louisiana, may not be able to serve all Texas
2-13     veterans; and
2-14           WHEREAS, In anticipation of the need for new facilities
2-15     providing long-term care to East Texas veterans, the City of
2-16     Carthage, the Carthage Economic Development Corporation, and the
2-17     Panola County Development Foundation have coordinated city and
2-18     county efforts to locate a state veterans home in the City of
2-19     Carthage; and
2-20           WHEREAS, The central location of the city, the commitment of
2-21     land for the home, and the unique amenities of the area make
2-22     Carthage an ideal location for a state veterans home; now,
2-23     therefore, be it
2-24           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-25     hereby urge the Veterans' Land Board to request funding from the
2-26     United States Department of Veterans Affairs for the establishment
2-27     of a state veterans home in the City of Carthage, and, that upon
 3-1     securing such funding, to begin the process of constructing the
 3-2     facility; and, be it further
 3-3           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
 3-4     copy of this resolution to the chairman and members of the
 3-5     Veterans' Land Board.