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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, In the midst of the massive winter storm that |
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devastated Texas during the week of February 15, 2021, first |
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responders, emergency services personnel, and other frontline |
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workers made extraordinary efforts to save lives and property and |
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bring urgent relief to Texans in need; and |
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WHEREAS, As the storm engulfed the state, temperatures |
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plunged to near-historic lows in many areas, leading to heavy |
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accumulations of snow, ice, and freezing rain; the power grid that |
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covers much of the state struggled to keep up with soaring demand |
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for electricity, resulting in mass power outages that affected some |
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four million households; the crisis escalated as families were left |
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without power through several days of subfreezing weather, while |
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icy conditions rendered roads impassable and brought travel to a |
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standstill across the state; further compounding the misery, water |
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lines froze and ruptured, forcing residences, businesses, and even |
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hospitals in some communities to contend with water shortages; and |
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WHEREAS, At great risk to their own safety, emergency medical |
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personnel, police, and firefighters continued to carry out their |
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lifesaving work, persevering through sleet and snow to rescue |
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stranded motorists and other citizens in danger; health care |
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providers, already burdened with heavy workloads and high levels of |
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stress, also bravely answered the call of duty, even as perilous |
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roadway conditions made it difficult to travel to work; meanwhile, |
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public works employees and transportation crews took to the task of |
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deicing roads, and other city employees staffed warming shelters |
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and coordinated emergency resources throughout the duration of the |
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crisis; and |
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WHEREAS, Utility line workers labored around the clock to |
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repair storm damage and restore power to homes and businesses, |
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while water utility and water treatment plant employees worked |
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overtime to attend to water supply disruptions; plumbers and |
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contractors were also met with overwhelming demand, as critical |
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numbers of Texas homeowners dealt with damaged pipes and water |
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heaters; in addition, the efforts of grocery store employees, food |
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warehouse workers, and truck drivers were crucial to mitigating |
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interruptions to the food supply chain and ensuring that storm |
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victims were able to keep their families fed; and |
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WHEREAS, As cities and towns across Texas were reeling from a |
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weather event of historic magnitude, the essential workers of our |
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state bravely and selflessly stepped forward to provide much-needed |
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aid and support to their communities, and they have earned the |
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heartfelt gratitude of their fellow Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the police, firefighters, health care |
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personnel, and other workers who helped their communities endure |
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the winter storm of February 2021 and extend sincere best wishes to |
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these heroic men and women for their continued health and safety. |