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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Border communities, such as Laredo, contend with |
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heightened responsibilities in the world today, and since the |
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advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, Laredo |
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has become the busiest United States port of entry from Mexico and |
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the sixth-largest customs district in the country, with more than |
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$167 billion in total trade in 2007; while the heavy flow of |
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international commerce is a boon to the local economy, it presents |
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tremendous challenges to the first responders who protect the state |
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and the nation as well as their own community; and |
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WHEREAS, The Bureau of Transportation Statistics calculated |
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that more than 1.5 million trucks and 300,000 rail containers |
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crossed through Laredo in 2006, and according to Texas Department |
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of Transportation estimates, truck tonnage will increase by some |
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250 percent by 2030; about half of this cargo includes hazardous |
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material, and more than 60 million square feet of warehouse space in |
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the city also contains significant amounts of hazardous materials, |
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creating a tempting target for terrorists and enormous potential |
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for a disaster that could not only endanger public health but also |
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disrupt major transportation systems and negatively impact the |
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national economy; and |
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WHEREAS, Relatively isolated on its side of the border, |
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Laredo is 150 miles from the nearest sizable U.S. city, and its |
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police, fire, and public health personnel are the primary emergency |
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responders for a region of more than 3,000 square miles; this |
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includes a long stretch of the Rio Grande, which is the primary |
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drinking water source for Laredo, Nuevo Laredo, and other |
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communities in the Rio Grande Valley, making swift response to any |
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contamination extremely critical; in addition, the United |
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States-Mexico Border Health Commission has recognized the region as |
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among those most vulnerable to perils such as bioterrorism and |
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epidemics; and |
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WHEREAS, The Laredo Police Department has increased |
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vigilance over border activity since the attacks of September 11, |
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2001, and confronts an escalating threat from violent international |
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drug traffickers, who have been linked to terrorism; the fire |
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department responds to a wide range of emergencies along the Rio |
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Grande, from the rescue or recovery of individuals who have |
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attempted to cross into the United States to bomb threats; and |
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WHEREAS, The emergency response system in Laredo requires a |
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higher level of funding to ensure public safety and meet homeland |
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security imperatives; for instance, the city has only one hazardous |
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materials response unit, purchased in 1991 and long overdue for |
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upgrades; it lacks a detection system for chemical, biological, |
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radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive weapons, as well as |
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for quick assessment and management of industrial accidents; among |
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other urgent needs are enhanced police staffing, improved radio |
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coverage in remote areas, and construction of a secure regional |
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emergency operations center where safety personnel and local, |
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state, and federal government officials can coordinate decisions |
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and resources in a crisis; and |
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WHEREAS, With an estimated population of 217,000, Laredo is a |
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much smaller city than other major United States ports; its own |
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budget is accordingly limited, and at the same time, its size has |
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been an impediment in the pursuit of federal assistance; homeland |
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security funding formulas currently use census figures rather than |
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threat risk in determining eligibility for such programs as the |
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Urban Areas Security Initiative and Targeted Infrastructure |
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Capability Grants Program, and, as a land port, Laredo is likewise |
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ineligible for the Port Security Grant Program, even though it |
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processes more international shipments than such grant recipients |
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as Mobile, Alabama, and Lake Charles, Louisiana; and |
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WHEREAS, Laredo, as the nation's second-busiest land |
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gateway, shoulders unique law enforcement, public safety, and |
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national security burdens far out of proportion to the size of its |
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population; increased federal funding is necessary to strengthen |
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first response where local agencies with strained budgets are |
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responsible for protecting our nation's critical infrastructure |
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and addressing international threats; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to refine |
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Department of Homeland Security policy to consider risk levels as |
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well as population size in assessing the financial needs of first |
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responders in border communities along the international boundary |
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created by the Rio Grande; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the |
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senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the |
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Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this |
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resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |
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