By Turner of Coleman H.C.R. No. 40 77R3004 MJS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Although the United States government acknowledged 1-2 receipt of the Tap Pilam-Coahuiltecan Nation's petition for federal 1-3 recognition in 1997, the tribe is currently unrecognized by the 1-4 State of Texas or by the United States; and 1-5 WHEREAS, There are now more than 550 federally recognized 1-6 tribes in the United States; this unique designation conveys a 1-7 legal relationship between these tribes or groups and the U.S. 1-8 government; and 1-9 WHEREAS, The Coahuiltecan tribe's distinguished history in 1-10 the Lone Star State merits strong consideration for official 1-11 acknowledgment from the State of Texas and the United States; and 1-12 WHEREAS, In the late 1600s Spanish explorers first 1-13 encountered the Coahuiltecan tribe, whose name is derived from the 1-14 state of Coahuila in Mexico; the tribe members had seasonal 1-15 attachments to their campgrounds and relied on their hunting and 1-16 gathering acumen and skills to survive; and 1-17 WHEREAS, To increase the number of Spanish citizens on the 1-18 frontier, various Native American groups were converted to 1-19 Christianity, and five missions were established between 1718 and 1-20 1731 in San Antonio, including the San Antonio de Valero, San Jose, 1-21 Concepcion de Acuna, San Juan Capistrano, and the San Francisco de 1-22 la Espada; moreover, the Coahuiltecan language was translated into 1-23 Spanish to make the conversion process easier; and 1-24 WHEREAS, Members of the Coahuiltecan tribe and other Native 2-1 American groups performed important duties at the missions, such as 2-2 constructing dams and irrigation canals, working in the fields and 2-3 as the first cowboys, and helping to build what became communities 2-4 in present-day Texas and northeastern Mexico; and 2-5 WHEREAS, While many Native American tribes eventually became 2-6 displaced and assimilated in the 18th and 19th centuries, the 2-7 Coahuiltecan tribe's proud rituals and traditions have endured, and 2-8 aspects of its daily life are the same as those in use at the time 2-9 of its first contact with Europeans; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Descendants of this intrepid tribe celebrate 2-11 time-honored occasions, such as Indian Decoration Day, and also use 2-12 ceremonial music and dress as ways of upholding tribal customs; in 2-13 addition, renewed efforts to ascertain more knowledge about their 2-14 ancestry are ongoing; and 2-15 WHEREAS, Throughout the years, the Coahuiltecans have played 2-16 an integral role in Texas' development, and the Native American 2-17 tribes who were the first Texans have greatly enriched our shared 2-18 heritage with their culture; now, therefore, be it 2-19 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-20 hereby recognize the Tap Pilam-Coahuiltecan Nation for its 2-21 immeasurable contributions and hereby respectfully urge the 2-22 Congress of the United States to recognize the Tap 2-23 Pilam-Coahuiltecan Nation as a tribal nation; 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.