By Menendez, Swinford, Cook, Chisum, Thompson H.C.R. No. 274 77R14819 ELG-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The relationship between the United States and Cuba 1-2 has long been marked by tension and confrontation; further 1-3 heightening this hostility is the 40-year-old U.S. trade embargo 1-4 against the island nation that remains the longest-standing embargo 1-5 in modern history; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Cuba imports nearly a billion dollars' worth of food 1-7 every year, including approximately 1,100,000 tons of wheat, 1-8 420,000 tons of rice, 37,000 tons of poultry, and 60,000 tons of 1-9 dairy products; these amounts are expected to grow significantly in 1-10 coming years as Cuba slowly recovers from the severe economic 1-11 recession it has endured following the withdrawal of subsidies from 1-12 the former Soviet Union in the last decade; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Agriculture is the second-largest industry in Texas, 1-14 and this state ranks among the top five states in overall value of 1-15 agricultural exports at more than $3 billion annually; thus, Texas 1-16 is ideally positioned to benefit from the market opportunities that 1-17 free trade with Cuba would provide; rather than depriving Cuba of 1-18 agricultural products, the U.S. embargo succeeds only in driving 1-19 sales to competitors in other countries that have no such 1-20 restrictions; and 1-21 WHEREAS, In recent years, Cuba has developed important 1-22 pharmaceutical products, namely, a new meningitis B vaccine that 1-23 has virtually eliminated the disease in Cuba; such products have 1-24 the potential to protect Americans against diseases that continue 2-1 to threaten large populations around the world; and 2-2 WHEREAS, Cuba's potential oil reserves have attracted the 2-3 interest of numerous other countries who have been helping Cuba 2-4 develop its existing wells and search for new reserves; Cuba's oil 2-5 output has increased more than 400 percent over the last decade; 2-6 and 2-7 WHEREAS, The United States' trade, financial, and travel 2-8 restrictions against Cuba hinder Texas' export of agricultural and 2-9 food products, its ability to import critical energy products, the 2-10 treatment of illnesses experienced by Texans, and the right of 2-11 Texans to travel freely; now, therefore, be it 2-12 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-13 hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to 2-14 consider the removal of trade, financial, and travel restrictions 2-15 relating to Cuba; and, be it further 2-16 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 2-17 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 2-18 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 2-19 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of 2-20 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 2-21 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 2-22 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.