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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, After more than five decades of diplomatic tensions, |
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the United States and Cuba began to normalize relations in December |
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2014, and this process is opening the way for economic opportunity |
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and other advancements benefiting our state and nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Economists, government officials, business leaders, |
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and scholars all recognize that U.S. and Cuban markets are |
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complementary, with natural trade ties; in fact, Cuba was once a |
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major trading partner, and before the imposition of initial |
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U.S. restrictions in 1960, it ranked as our nation's |
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seventh-largest export market; and |
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WHEREAS, A 2016 report by the United States International |
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Trade Commission found that restrictions on trade with Cuba and |
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travel to the country had shut U.S. suppliers out of a very valuable |
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market; although Cuban imports of goods totaled $9.3 billion in |
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2014, imports from the U.S. were valued at a mere $299 million; |
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Fortune magazine in 2015 provided a conservative estimate that the |
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embargo policy was costing the U.S. $1.2 billion annually, and that |
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lifting the embargo would add 6,000 new U.S. jobs; and |
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WHEREAS, According to the USITC, the agricultural sector |
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stands to recognize enormous gains from the removal of |
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U.S. restrictions on Cuban trade, with exports of wheat alone, |
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projected to increase by almost $170 million as a result of |
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moderately reduced trade costs; other significant beneficiaries |
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would include the chemicals and chemical products industry, |
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encompassing a wide array of products, from fertilizers and |
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pesticides to paint, soap, and detergents, as well as smaller |
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industries, such as paper products and office and computing |
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machinery; overall, the USITC anticipates that U.S. manufactured |
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goods exports to Cuba could increase to more than $1.2 billion; and |
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WHEREAS, The end of trade restrictions would not only |
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strengthen the economy and boost job creation, but it also would |
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allow U.S. residents to access certain medical advances available |
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in Cuba, including breakthroughs in oncology and new medications |
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such as Heberprot-P, which aids in the treatment of |
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diabetes-related conditions; and |
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WHEREAS, The United States and Cuba reopened their embassies |
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in each other's capitals in 2015, signaling the restoration of full |
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diplomatic ties; in August 2016, commercial airlines began offering |
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service between the U.S. and Cuba for the first time in over a half |
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century, and new rules now permit a variety of economic activity, |
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including banking transactions, investment by U.S. companies in |
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some small businesses, and shipment of building materials to |
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private Cuban firms; Congress has not yet lifted other economic |
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sanctions, however, and delays in the full renewal of trade |
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relations are permitting other countries to reap the benefits of |
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doing business in Cuba; and |
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WHEREAS, The lifting of the trade embargo against Cuba will |
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reopen an important market less than 100 miles from our shores and |
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create tremendous economic opportunities for American citizens; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to consider the |
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removal of trade, financial, and travel restrictions relating to |
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Cuba; 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 president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |