By: Bernsen S.C.R. No. 54 1-1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-2 WHEREAS, The relationship between the United States and Cuba 1-3 has long been marked by tension and confrontation; further 1-4 heightening this hostility is the 40-year-old United States trade 1-5 embargo against the island nation that remains the longest-standing 1-6 embargo in modern history; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Cuba imports nearly a billion dollars' worth of food 1-8 every year, including approximately 1,100,000 tons of wheat, 1-9 420,000 tons of rice, 37,000 tons of poultry, and 60,000 tons of 1-10 dairy products; these amounts are expected to grow significantly in 1-11 coming years as Cuba slowly recovers from the severe economic 1-12 recession it has endured following the withdrawal of subsidies from 1-13 the former Soviet Union in the last decade; and 1-14 WHEREAS, Agriculture is the second-largest industry in Texas, 1-15 and this state ranks among the top five states in overall value of 1-16 agricultural exports at more than $3 billion annually; thus, Texas 1-17 is ideally positioned to benefit from the market opportunities that 1-18 free trade with Cuba would provide; rather than depriving Cuba of 1-19 agricultural products, the United States embargo succeeds only in 1-20 driving sales to competitors in other countries that have no such 1-21 restrictions; and 1-22 WHEREAS, In recent years, Cuba has developed important 1-23 pharmaceutical products, namely, a new meningitis B vaccine that 1-24 has virtually eliminated the disease in Cuba; such products have 2-1 the potential to protect Americans against diseases that continue 2-2 to threaten large populations around the world; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Cuba's potential oil reserves have attracted the 2-4 interest of numerous other countries who have been helping Cuba 2-5 develop its existing wells and search for new reserves; Cuba's oil 2-6 output has increased more than 400 percent over the last decade; 2-7 and 2-8 WHEREAS, The United States' trade, financial, and travel 2-9 restrictions against Cuba hinder Texas' export of agricultural and 2-10 food products, its ability to import critical energy products, the 2-11 treatment of illnesses experienced by Texans, and the right of 2-12 Texans to travel freely; now, therefore, be it 2-13 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-14 hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to 2-15 consider the removal of trade, financial, and travel restrictions 2-16 relating to Cuba; and, be it further 2-17 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 2-18 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 2-19 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 2-20 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of 2-21 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 2-22 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 2-23 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.