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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Texas is facing the largest revenue shortfall in its |
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history, and this budget crisis will destroy the promise of Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, among the proposed budget cuts already outlined in |
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H.B.1 are: |
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- the elimination of pre-kindergarten programs that would |
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have educated 192,000 children; |
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- a $1.57 billion budget reduction for nursing facility |
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payments ensuring that this state will not keep its promise |
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to our elders; |
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- the termination of 100,000 educational jobs, which will |
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cripple both our economy and our schools; |
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- a drastic reduction of $1.15 billion dollars for Texas |
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Closing the Gaps program meaning many Texans aspiring to |
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higher education will have to defer their dreams; |
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- the eradication of the existence of four community colleges |
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and, thus, altering the fate of the hundreds of students at |
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those schools; and |
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WHEREAS, the Governor has already identified five emergency |
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items but has failed to acknowledge the largest deficit in our |
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recent history and the biggest threat to Texas' prosperity and |
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promise to its citizens; and |
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WHEREAS, the Texas Constitution provides that each body of |
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the legislature can set its own course by an affirmative vote of |
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4/5; and |
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WHEREAS, this body duly acknowledges the challenges we face |
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with our economy and our revenue shortfall. As both Democrats and |
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Republicans, we recognize our budget as the single most important |
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legislative matter of this session and we are bound by duty and |
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service to our constituents to put all matters aside and devote our |
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full attention, roll up our sleeves, and work hard so that we can do |
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right by Texas by focusing solely on mastering this budget |
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challenge; and therefore be it |
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RESOLVED that pursuant to Article 3, Section 5 of the Texas |
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Constitution, that this Texas House of Representatives of the 82nd |
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Legislature declare our state budget as proposed in H.B. 1 be its |
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first and only order of business; and be it further |
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RESOLVED that we will work day and night to assemble a |
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committee, afford members the opportunity to weigh the proposed |
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budget and its impact on our constituents, and work together in |
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pursuit of a solution; and be it further |
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RESOLVED that this house will consider adding to its order |
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other bills related to the budget as well as other legislative |
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matters that 4/5ths of our body determine to be priority matters and |
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in the best interest of Texas pursuant to the Texas Constitution. |