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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 Republic of Mexico; 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 principal owner of the United States section of |
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the international bridge at La Linda, the National Parks |
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Conservation Association, is prepared to donate its interest in the |
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bridge and associated properties to the State of Texas through the |
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General Land Office so that the bridge may be reopened and operated |
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as a legal border crossing; and |
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WHEREAS, The tourism industries serving scenic and |
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recreational areas joined by this bridge, including the Big Bend |
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mountains of Texas and the Sierra del Carmen mountains of Northwest |
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Coahuila, wish to promote, accommodate, and economically benefit |
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from cross-border tourism but are unable to implement those |
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objectives if 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, The State of Coahuila and the commissioners court of |
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Brewster County, respectively represented by the Instituto de |
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Turismo and the Big Bend Border Council and joined by a coalition of |
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local residents and the Big Bend National Park Superintendent, have |
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twice requested that the Binational Bridges and Border Crossings |
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working group, which is convened semiannually by the United States |
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Department of State and the Mexican Secretaria de Relaciones |
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Exteriores, take the necessary actions to have the bridge and |
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border crossing at La Linda reopened by the United States and |
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Mexican federal governments; and |
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WHEREAS, The working group, composed of United States and |
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Mexican federal authorities responsible for authorizing |
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international ports of entry and required inspections along the |
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international boundary, will convene again in the coming months to |
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consider action on either reopening the bridge at La Linda or |
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ordering its removal; 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 General Land |
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Office to proceed expeditiously with the due diligence needed to |
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make a determination regarding acceptance of an ownership interest |
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in La Linda Bridge by the State of Texas; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby urge that the governor, |
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the Texas Department of Transportation, the secretary of state, the |
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Department of Public Safety, the Parks and Wildlife Department, the |
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Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, the Texas Historical |
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Commission, and other appropriate state agencies render |
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encouragement and assistance to the General Land Office as it |
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proceeds in this matter and render encouragement and assistance as |
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well to Brewster County and to private and public advocates for |
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tourism in the Big Bend in their efforts to develop a regional |
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tourism economy in conjunction with a reopened bridge at La Linda; |
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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 Republic of Mexico |
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and to all other parties participating in decisions relating to |
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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 an |
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official copy of this resolution to the United States secretary of |
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state. |