Bill Text: TX HCR8 | 2027-2028 | 90th Legislature Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Officially recognizing the Green Star Service Banner as a symbol honoring the service and memory of veterans who died by suicide and recognizing the families they leave behind.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-11-09 - Filed [HCR8 Detail]
Download: Texas-2027-HCR8-Introduced.html
| 90R5154 AMB-F | ||
| By: Metcalf | H.C.R. No. 8 | |
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| WHEREAS, Americans owe an incalculable debt of gratitude to | ||
| the members of the United States armed forces, who have answered the | ||
| call to defend our freedoms and who willingly shoulder | ||
| extraordinary burdens in service to our nation; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The families of military personnel likewise make | ||
| profound sacrifices, and for those who have lost a loved one to | ||
| suicide, the grief they experience is often compounded by social | ||
| stigma and feelings of isolation; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Far too many service members confront significant | ||
| challenges both during their military careers and as they | ||
| transition to civilian life; according to data published by the | ||
| U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 581 veterans in the State of | ||
| Texas died by suicide in 2023, representing a rate that's more than | ||
| double that of the state's general population; moreover, there has | ||
| been a significant increase in suicides among veterans between the | ||
| ages of 18 and 34 over the past quarter century; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Green Star Service Banner was established by the | ||
| Green Star Families of America organization as a symbol of | ||
| recognition to be presented to the surviving families of veterans | ||
| who have died by suicide, with the goal of ensuring that the | ||
| families are accorded the acknowledgment, respect, and support they | ||
| deserve; drawing on the tradition of the Gold Star Service Banner, | ||
| which signifies the loss of a member of the military in the line of | ||
| duty, the Green Star banner features a Kelly green five-pointed | ||
| star, with the color signifying hope and growth in the heraldic | ||
| tradition; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Through its presentation, the Green Star Service | ||
| Banner is intended to provide enduring recognition of a veteran's | ||
| contributions while strengthening their loved ones' sense of | ||
| belonging in the military and veteran community; since launching | ||
| the initiative, the members of Green Star Families of America have | ||
| worked to secure widespread recognition of the banner and to build | ||
| greater public awareness around the issue of veteran suicide; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Green Star Service Banner stands as a poignant | ||
| symbol of acknowledgment and remembrance, and it reminds us of our | ||
| solemn duty to commemorate the service of veterans lost to suicide | ||
| and the importance of offering compassion and kindness to their | ||
| families; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 90th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby officially recognize the Green Star Service Banner as a | ||
| symbol honoring the service and memory of veterans who died by | ||
| suicide and recognizing the families they leave behind. | ||
