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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The aerospace industry has contributed |
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significantly to the State of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The NASA Johnson Space Center and the surrounding |
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aerospace community directly employ more than 18,000 people, and in |
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fiscal year 2010 they received nearly $5.3 billion in procurement |
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obligations; the economic impact of this was enormous, with 85 |
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large businesses performing approximately $3.6 billion of work in |
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Texas, and some $119 million worth of work being provided to small |
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businesses; moreover, the industry contracted nearly $14.2 million |
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in grants and agreements with Texas universities, $70.4 million |
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with women-owned businesses, $10.3 million with veteran-owned |
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businesses, and $14.5 million with Texas nonprofit organizations; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The state aerospace industry leads the nation's |
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human space exploration program, and among its responsibilities are |
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flying the space shuttle fleet until its retirement, completing the |
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assembly and continuing the operation of the International Space |
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Station, and developing the Orion crew module, which will be used on |
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the nation's next launch vehicle; and |
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WHEREAS, Thanks in part to the efforts of the Bay Area Houston |
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Economic Partnership, Congress overwhelmingly passed the 2010 NASA |
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Authorization Act, and it was signed into law by the president; this |
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legislation charts a path for future space exploration that |
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includes three shuttle flights in 2011, continuing support for the |
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International Space Station at least through 2020, development of a |
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new launch system that leverages investments already made in the |
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Ares launch systems, and continued funding of a multipurpose crew |
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vehicle that uses the designs, systems, and safety features of the |
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Orion project; and |
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WHEREAS, The human space exploration program is essential to |
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America's global leadership, economic competitiveness, and job |
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creation, and the technological innovations pioneered by NASA |
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benefit not only the nation's safety and security, but also the |
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communications and health care industries, as well as others; and |
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WHEREAS, NASA and the entire aerospace community have long |
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made a vital and positive difference in the Lone Star State, and |
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they are indeed deserving of recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor NASA and the aerospace industry for their |
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leadership and accomplishments in the State of Texas. |