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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The United States government has erected a border |
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wall through urban and rural areas along the Rio Grande; the wall |
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cuts through the property of local residents, causing |
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inconvenience, hardship, and reduced productivity; and |
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WHEREAS, The border wall also disrupts natural habitats and |
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degrades the local environment, which has an adverse effect on the |
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quality of life of residents, particularly of residents who live |
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between the river and the wall; construction crews contributed to |
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this degradation by bulldozing orchards, draining lakes, and |
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grading over existing driveways and roads; and |
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WHEREAS, The border wall divides land granted by the King of |
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Spain to the families of landowners before the founding of the |
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United States of America; and |
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WHEREAS, Many local businesses depend on customers who live |
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near the river, and the border wall reduces the ability of customers |
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located between the river and the wall to reach these businesses, |
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which has an adverse effect on the local economy, especially in |
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Brownsville and nearby areas; and |
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WHEREAS, In and around Brownsville, the border wall cuts |
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through roads, backyards, agricultural fields, citrus groves, and |
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pastures for more than 21 miles; narrow gaps allow back-and-forth |
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access for vehicles and pedestrians, but the gaps are as much as a |
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mile apart; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas has a long history of protecting private |
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property rights, including the principle of full compensation for |
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property taken through eminent domain; the issue of property rights |
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and compensation for diminished access to one's own property has |
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been the subject of early legislative action during the 82nd |
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Legislature; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to offer just |
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compensation to landowners negatively affected by the erection of |
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the border wall, including compensation for the diminished value of |
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and access to their property and for easements over their property; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the United States Congress be respectfully |
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urged to consider removal of the border wall in places where the |
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border is already adequately guarded by the United States Border |
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Patrol agents of the United States Customs and Border Protection |
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Agency and other law enforcement agents; 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. |