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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Since 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement |
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has transformed economic relations among the United States, Mexico, |
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and Canada; and |
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WHEREAS, The accord has driven unprecedented integration |
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among the economies, helping to more than triple regional trade and |
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encouraging a dramatic rise in cross-border investment; economists |
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largely agree that NAFTA has enhanced prosperity in all three |
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countries, as regional trade increased sharply over the first two |
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decades, from roughly $290 billion in 1993 to more than $1.1 |
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trillion in 2016; as many as 14 million U.S. jobs rely on this |
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trade; and |
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WHEREAS, The economic effects of NAFTA on Texas are |
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particularly profound, due to its proximity to Mexico, which is the |
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state's top export market; in 2015, exports from Texas to Mexico |
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totaled $92.5 billion, and as of 2014, 382,000 Texas jobs depended |
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on cross-border trade; moreover, the availability of lower-priced |
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goods from Mexico has had a favorable influence on the state's cost |
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of living; and |
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WHEREAS, During the past election cycle, NAFTA was a frequent |
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political target, and its future is now uncertain; the Texas |
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economy would undergo major upheaval should the United States |
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withdraw from or renegotiate NAFTA, and it is vital that state |
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government explore the possible ramifications; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the House |
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of Representatives to create a joint interim committee to study the |
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impact of any proposals by the federal government to alter or |
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abrogate the North American Free Trade Agreement; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be |
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governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim |
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committees as the 85th Legislature may adopt. |