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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Texas National Guard is an invaluable asset to |
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the citizens of Texas, particularly in its most visible and |
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recognized aspect--serving the state in times of domestic emergency |
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and natural disaster; the protection and support provided by the |
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more than 21,000 men and women who serve in the Texas Guard have |
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often proved the difference between life and death; and |
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WHEREAS, As part of the Army National Guard's state mission, |
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the Texas Guard trains and works with local communities to prepare |
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for the efficient execution of local, state, and nationally |
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coordinated emergency response plans such as the Emergency |
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Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which enables the states to |
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share disaster management resources; and |
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WHEREAS, In fact, each state's National Guard units are a |
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critical mutual aid asset to other states; in the wake of Hurricane |
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Katrina, 58,000 National Guard troops from every state in the union |
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were deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi under EMAC in support of |
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the disaster response; the State of Texas contributed 2,000 troops |
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under the leadership of Governor Rick Perry; and |
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WHEREAS, Section 1076 of the John Warner National Defense |
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Authorization Act of 2007 (P.L. 109-364), as signed into law by |
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President George W. Bush, significantly changes the chain of |
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command for the Army National Guard and allows the president to take |
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control of a state's National Guard forces without contacting, |
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conferring, or collaborating with the governor; this drastic change |
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confuses the issue of who is in command of National Guard troops |
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during a domestic emergency and increases the risk that conflicting |
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orders may arise; and |
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WHEREAS, Established under Article 1 of the United States |
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Constitution, state control of the National Guard is critical for |
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the timely execution of various disaster and crisis management |
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plans, yet the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act was |
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adopted without public hearing and despite bipartisan opposition of |
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governors; as the nation witnessed during the aftermath of |
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Hurricane Katrina, time is of the essence when responding to |
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natural disasters and a confused chain of command would seriously |
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undermine the Texas Guard's effectiveness; and |
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WHEREAS, Legislation now pending before congress would |
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rescind the most objectionable and dangerous provisions of the John |
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Warner National Defense Authorization Act; H.R. 869 and S.513 would |
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restore the previous authority on the use of the National Guard and, |
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in turn, restore the citizens' confidence in the efficacy of its |
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dedicated armed forces; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby request congress to pass and the president to |
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sign legislation to revive previous authority on the use of |
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national guard forces; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of |
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Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to the |
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president of the United States, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives and the president of the senate of the United |
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States Congress, and all members of the Texas delegation to the |
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congress with the request that this resolution be officially |
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entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of |
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the United States of America. |