H.R. No. 783

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Members of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America organization are sponsoring the Rio Grande Valley VA Hospital March to San Antonio on March 14-20, 2009, to raise awareness of the need for a VA hospital in the Valley region; and

WHEREAS, The second event of its kind, the 250-mile march begins at the Sekula Memorial Library in Edinburg, which was named for the late U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Dustin Michael Sekula, and culminates at the nearest VA hospital, the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio; the first march, which was organized by America's Last Patrol, took place in November 2005 and helped to revive this long-standing issue; and

WHEREAS, Although the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs operates several outpatient clinics in the Valley, these facilities do not offer the full range of services, including testing and therapy, that are available in San Antonio; and

WHEREAS, Iraq war veterans Jesus Bocanegra and Rey Leal are coordinating the march, and they expect to be joined by fellow members of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America as well as by veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Operation Desert Storm; and

WHEREAS, The health and well-being of veterans in the Rio Grande Valley depend on convenient access to a VA hospital, and it is indeed fitting to recognize the outstanding efforts of the members of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America in working to achieve this noble goal; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the Rio Grande Valley VA Hospital March to San Antonio and extend to all those involved sincere best wishes for a safe and successful event.

Peña Flores Gonzales Rios Ybarra Lucio III

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 783 was adopted by the House on March 12, 2009, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House