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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Shortly after World War II, the United States |
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assumed administration of the Trust Territory of the Pacific |
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Islands under a United Nations strategic trusteeship, which |
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provided for U.S. control over development of the islands' |
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economies and international relations, as well as military access |
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to territory within the islands; and |
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WHEREAS, The treatment of the Pacific Islands as a strategic |
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trust territory allowed the United States Atomic Energy Commission |
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to establish the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands, |
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where 67 atmospheric nuclear weapons were tested on a number of |
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inhabited islands, some of which had not been evacuated, between |
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1946 and 1958; several island residents and their descendants who |
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were in the vicinity of the test proving grounds continue to exhibit |
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medical conditions that may have resulted from exposure to nuclear |
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fallout, which is still measurable on some islands; and |
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WHEREAS, The area formerly known as the Trust Territory of |
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the Pacific Islands consists of three groups of islands, the |
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Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the |
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Federated States of Micronesia, which are today referred to as the |
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Compact of Free Association islands; notwithstanding their status |
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as independent, sovereign nations, the COFA islands are heavily |
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dependent on U.S. government grants and are subjected to |
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U.S. military presence under the COFA treaty; and |
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WHEREAS, Because of the unique relationship between the three |
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COFA nations and the U.S., the COFA treaties allow island citizens |
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to enter the U.S. without visas to study, live, and work and to have |
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access to available services such as health care; since the |
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implementation of the treaties, citizens of the COFA islands have |
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moved to the U.S. for education and work opportunities because |
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stagnant island economies have made it difficult for residents to |
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find jobs or obtain quality education in their home countries; |
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moreover, COFA island citizens volunteer to serve in the U.S. armed |
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forces at a higher rate per capita than U.S. citizens; and |
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WHEREAS, Approximately 3,500 COFA citizens reside in Texas |
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and directly contribute to the state through volunteering and |
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service in various workplace settings, including industrial, |
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managerial, and educational fields; in addition, numerous COFA |
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islanders serving in the U.S. military are stationed at Texas |
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military bases, including Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, Fort Sam Houston, |
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Lackland Air Force Base, Sheppard AFB, Randolph AFB, and Goodfellow |
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AFB; and |
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WHEREAS, In recent years, Congress and some state governments |
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have reduced benefits, including access to medical coverage, for |
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which COFA islanders residing in the U.S. have historically been |
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eligible; and |
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WHEREAS, COFA islanders and their children who reside in the |
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U.S. should be fairly treated in recognition of the long-standing |
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connection between the U.S. and the COFA islands and the continued |
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need of the U.S. to maintain a strong military and economic |
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presence in the island nations; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby express support for the rights of Compact of |
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Free Association islanders residing in Texas and extend to them |
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sincere appreciation for their extraordinary commitment to the |
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service and defense of our nation. |
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Buckley |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1783 was adopted by the House on May |
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20, 2019, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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