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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The construction of a wall or fence along the |
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U.S.-Mexico border could lead the federal government to use eminent |
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domain to infringe on the rights of private landowners in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Privately owned land composes 67 percent of the |
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U.S.-Mexico Border, and most of that property is located in the Lone |
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Star State; border fencing has already resulted in bisecting |
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private property without the consent of landowners, and due to the |
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winding geography along the Rio Grande, a wall or more fencing would |
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need to be built inland, separating even more property of Texas |
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landowners from the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, The path of the Rio Grande boasts many of the |
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greatest natural wonders of Texas, including Big Bend National |
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Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, the Amistad National Recreation |
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Area, and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River; a border wall or |
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fence would undoubtedly detract from the splendor of these state |
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treasures and negatively affect tourism; and |
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WHEREAS, Instead of a barrier, the federal government should |
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continue focusing on alternative, more cost-effective measures for |
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enforcing federal law on the U.S.-Mexico border, including using |
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surveillance technology and integrating federal operations with |
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state and local law enforcement agencies; and |
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WHEREAS, Erecting a border wall or fence would constitute one |
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of the largest federal land grabs for a single security-related |
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project in our nation's history, and it is incumbent on the U.S. |
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government to enforce federal law on the southern border in a way |
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that will not violate the rights of Texas landowners, harm the state |
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economy, and waste taxpayer money; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby express its opposition to using eminent domain for the |
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construction of a wall or fence along the U.S.-Mexico border; and, |
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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. |