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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, In 1962, Pub. L. No. 87-525 authorized the |
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construction of an international bridge across the Rio Grande to |
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join Heath Canyon in Texas with the village of La Linda, Coahuila, |
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Mexico, for the purpose of transporting refined ore into the United |
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States from nearby mills in Mexico and to one day facilitate the |
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movement of tourists interested in visiting the Sierra del Carmen |
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mountain areas across from Big Bend National Park; and |
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WHEREAS, Since the bridge was constructed, the Texas |
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Department of Transportation has, without interruption, maintained |
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Farm-to-Market Road 2627 as a paved two-lane highway for a 28-mile |
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stretch connecting the bridge to United States Highway 385, which |
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leads from that junction southward to Big Bend National Park and |
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northward 40 miles to Marathon and United States Highway 90; and |
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WHEREAS, La Linda Bridge, also known as the Hallie Stillwell |
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Memorial Bridge, is still in place and is in good repair but cannot |
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be crossed by vehicles or pedestrians because of barriers and the |
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placement of "no trespassing" signs at the bridge since 1997 |
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pursuant to orders issued by the governments of the United States of |
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America and the United Mexican States; and |
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WHEREAS, The La Linda international crossing is the only |
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bridge structure in place and the only point of entry authorized by |
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public law between the United States ports of entry at Presidio and |
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Del Rio, a distance of 385 miles; and |
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WHEREAS, The owners of the United States section of the |
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international bridge at La Linda wish the bridge to be reopened and |
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operated as a legal border crossing; and |
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WHEREAS, Local residents, wildlife and conservation groups, |
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outfitters, guides, and hospitality providers who recognize the |
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unique attractions of the Big Bend-Maderas del Carmen mountain |
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desert corridor wish to see the planned growth of a |
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conservation-minded tourism economy but are unable to proceed if |
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the La Linda crossing is not functioning; and |
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WHEREAS, The safety of tourists wishing to enjoy the area, |
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the binational scientific cooperation called for under existing |
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international agreements, and the security and public safety of |
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communities and citizens on both sides of the international border |
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would be enhanced by a functioning border crossing at La Linda; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the past six years the State of Coahuila and the |
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Commissioners Court of Brewster County, represented by the Big Bend |
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Border Council and joined by a coalition of local residents and the |
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Big Bend National Park Superintendent, have repeatedly requested |
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that the United States Department of State and the Mexican |
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Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores take the necessary actions to |
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have the bridge and border crossing at La Linda reopened by the |
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United States and Mexican federal governments; and |
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WHEREAS, The Binational Bridges and Border Crossings working |
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group, composed of United States and Mexican federal authorities |
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responsible for authorizing international ports of entry and |
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required inspections along the international boundary, is convened |
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semiannually by the United States Department of State and the |
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Mexican Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores and will meet in the |
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coming months to consider action on either reopening the bridge at |
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La Linda or ordering its removal; and |
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WHEREAS, In furtherance of meeting preconditions for |
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reopening the bridge set forth by the United States Department of |
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State, an agreement on consolidation of ownership into a single |
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entity with the capacity to maintain and operate an international |
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bridge has been reached between the owners of the United States |
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section of the bridge; and |
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WHEREAS, It is in the economic, cultural, and security |
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interests of the State of Texas and the homeland security interest |
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of the United States of America to have a functioning |
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border-crossing station under the management and control of trained |
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and equipped law enforcement and public safety officials in the |
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extensive area known as the Big Bend; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby express its support and encouragement for the reopening of |
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the bridge and border crossing at La Linda to accommodate trade and |
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tourism between Texas and Coahuila, Mexico, and to better protect |
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residents of both countries and secure the protection of our nation |
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from threats that might be associated with the illegal crossing of |
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individuals or materials with a lethal intent; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby urge the governor and |
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the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, the Texas |
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Department of Transportation, the Parks and Wildlife Department, |
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the secretary of state, the Department of Public Safety, the |
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General Land Office, the Texas Historical Commission, and other |
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appropriate state agencies to render encouragement and assistance |
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to Brewster County and the owners of the La Linda bridge in their |
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efforts to reopen the bridge and to assume a role as a stakeholder |
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in planning cooperative conservation and tourism initiatives |
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across the Big Bend-Maderas del Carmen area; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby urge representatives |
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of the Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of |
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Transportation to meet at the earliest possible time with |
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representatives of the owners of the United States section of the La |
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Linda bridge, of Brewster County, and of Big Bend National Park to |
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review the status of the bridge and, as they may deem appropriate, |
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recommend formation of an ad hoc liaison committee to offer advice |
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and facilitation to Brewster County and the owners of the La Linda |
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bridge on the future of the bridge and plans for cross-border |
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tourism and conservation; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby call upon the United |
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States Department of State to communicate the interest of the State |
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of Texas in this matter to the government of the United Mexican |
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States and to all other parties participating in decisions relating |
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to either reopening or removing the bridge at La Linda; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to all the members of the Texas delegation |
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to the United States Congress and to the United States secretary of |
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state and the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores, United Mexican |
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States. |
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