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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, After the Vietnam War ended, a large number of |
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Vietnamese refugees immigrated to the United States, and many moved |
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to the metropolitan areas and coastal regions of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, These first-generation Vietnamese Americans worked |
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hard and flourished in Texas, and now the state is home to the |
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second largest Vietnamese population in the United States, with |
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more than 210,000 residents, nearly half of those living in the |
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Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown area; and |
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WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have fully embraced the |
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freedoms of speech and religion and all of the democratic |
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principles that the United States offers; and |
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WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have denied the authority of |
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the Vietnamese Communist Flag and pushed for governments to |
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officially recognize the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag, |
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which symbolizes both the Vietnamese cultural heritage and a deeply |
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rooted resilience and yearning for democracy; and |
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WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans strongly support education, |
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and their children are graduating from high schools and higher |
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education institutions at high rates; and |
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State has benefited enormously from |
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the contributions of its Vietnamese American residents; and |
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WHEREAS, The Vietnamese American community plays a vital role |
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in the business, professional, and cultural life not only of the |
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Lone Star State but also of the country; the number of small |
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businesses owned by Vietnamese Americans has grown substantially, |
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and these firms have created more than 166,000 jobs nationwide, |
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adding billions of dollars to the economy; in addition, Vietnamese |
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Americans contribute to their communities in a myriad of ways, as |
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teachers, lawyers, writers, actors, doctors, mayors, judges, and |
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public servants; among the many Vietnamese Americans who have led |
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notable careers are astronaut Eugene H. Trinh, former Dallas Cowboy |
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Dat Nguyen, and scientist Nguyet Anh Duong, who developed the |
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thermobaric weapon, which has been vital to U.S. military efforts; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Under Chapter 443, Government Code, and rules of the |
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State Preservation Board, a portion of the north Capitol grounds is |
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available for new monuments, subject to legislative approval, |
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specified procedural requirements, the provision of funding from |
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private donors, conformity to a certain size and design limitations |
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and parameters, and completion on a timely basis; and |
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WHEREAS, For many decades, people of Vietnamese descent have |
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excelled in our society and economy, enriched our cultural |
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tapestry, and helped enhance and secure the Lone Star State's |
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reputation as a land of promise and possibility, and members of the |
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house of representatives and senate find a commemorative structure |
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in honor of Vietnamese Americans to be a worthy addition to the |
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Capitol grounds; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby authorize the State Preservation Board, subject to state law |
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and rules of the board, to approve and permit the construction of a |
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monument on the Capitol grounds recognizing Vietnamese Americans |
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for their contributions to this state and nation; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an |
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official copy of this resolution to the executive director of the |
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State Preservation Board. |