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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the |
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United States reads, "The powers not delegated to the United States |
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by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are |
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reserved to the States respectively, or to the people"; and |
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WHEREAS, The Founding Fathers created the federal government |
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as an agent of the states, not to supplant states' rights; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Constitution affirms the notion, in |
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Section 1, Article I, that "Texas is a free and independent State, |
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subject only to the Constitution of the United States, and the |
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maintenance of our free institutions and the perpetuity of the |
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Union depend upon the preservation of the right of local |
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self-government, unimpaired to all the States"; and |
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WHEREAS, The health insurance tax is a usurpation of state |
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sovereignty and abuse of federal power; and |
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WHEREAS, The health insurance tax disparages the autonomy of |
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the states, in violation of the Tenth Amendment; and |
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WHEREAS, The health insurance tax will cost the State of |
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Texas additional billions of dollars in government expenses; and |
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WHEREAS, The National Federation of Independent Businesses |
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reported the tax will result in 6,000 fewer private sector jobs and |
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billions of dollars of lost sales in the State of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation noted |
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that "taxes may be borne by: consumers in the form of higher prices; |
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owners of firms in the form of lower profits; employees of firms in |
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the form of lower wages; or other suppliers to firms in the form of |
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lower payments"; and |
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WHEREAS, The health insurance tax will disproportionately |
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burden the small businesses of Texas with increased premiums; and |
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WHEREAS, The Congressional Budget Office noted, "fees would |
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largely be passed through to consumers in the form of higher |
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premiums for private coverage"; and |
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WHEREAS, The men and women of Texas will ultimately bear the |
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costs of the health insurance tax, putting health care out of reach |
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for many; and |
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WHEREAS, The health insurance tax will stifle job creation, |
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increase health care costs, and burden the economy of Texas; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby reaffirm the pride of all Texans in our nation and our state; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature reject unlimited |
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submission to the current administration and Congress, reaffirm the |
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sovereignty of our state, as granted by the Tenth Amendment to the |
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Constitution of the United States, and oppose the health insurance |
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tax. |