Bill Text: TX HR1783 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Expressing support for the rights of Compact of Free Association islanders residing in Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-20 - Reported enrolled [HR1783 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HR1783-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 1783 |
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WHEREAS, Shortly after World War II, the United States | ||
assumed administration of the Trust Territory of the Pacific | ||
Islands under a United Nations strategic trusteeship, which | ||
provided for U.S. control over development of the islands' | ||
economies and international relations, as well as military access | ||
to territory within the islands; and | ||
WHEREAS, The treatment of the Pacific Islands as a strategic | ||
trust territory allowed the United States Atomic Energy Commission | ||
to establish the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands, | ||
where 67 atmospheric nuclear weapons were tested on a number of | ||
inhabited islands, some of which had not been evacuated, between | ||
1946 and 1958; several island residents and their descendants who | ||
were in the vicinity of the test proving grounds continue to exhibit | ||
medical conditions that may have resulted from exposure to nuclear | ||
fallout, which is still measurable on some islands; and | ||
WHEREAS, The area formerly known as the Trust Territory of | ||
the Pacific Islands consists of three groups of islands, the | ||
Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the | ||
Federated States of Micronesia, which are today referred to as the | ||
Compact of Free Association islands; notwithstanding their status | ||
as independent, sovereign nations, the COFA islands are heavily | ||
dependent on U.S. government grants and are subjected to | ||
U.S. military presence under the COFA treaty; and | ||
WHEREAS, Because of the unique relationship between the three | ||
COFA nations and the U.S., the COFA treaties allow island citizens | ||
to enter the U.S. without visas to study, live, and work and to have | ||
access to available services such as health care; since the | ||
implementation of the treaties, citizens of the COFA islands have | ||
moved to the U.S. for education and work opportunities because | ||
stagnant island economies have made it difficult for residents to | ||
find jobs or obtain quality education in their home countries; | ||
moreover, COFA island citizens volunteer to serve in the U.S. armed | ||
forces at a higher rate per capita than U.S. citizens; and | ||
WHEREAS, Approximately 3,500 COFA citizens reside in Texas | ||
and directly contribute to the state through volunteering and | ||
service in various workplace settings, including industrial, | ||
managerial, and educational fields; in addition, numerous COFA | ||
islanders serving in the U.S. military are stationed at Texas | ||
military bases, including Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, Fort Sam Houston, | ||
Lackland Air Force Base, Sheppard AFB, Randolph AFB, and Goodfellow | ||
AFB; and | ||
WHEREAS, In recent years, Congress and some state governments | ||
have reduced benefits, including access to medical coverage, for | ||
which COFA islanders residing in the U.S. have historically been | ||
eligible; and | ||
WHEREAS, COFA islanders and their children who reside in the | ||
U.S. should be fairly treated in recognition of the long-standing | ||
connection between the U.S. and the COFA islands and the continued | ||
need of the U.S. to maintain a strong military and economic | ||
presence in the island nations; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby express support for the rights of Compact of | ||
Free Association islanders residing in Texas and extend to them | ||
sincere appreciation for their extraordinary commitment to the | ||
service and defense of our nation. | ||
Buckley | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 1783 was adopted by the House on May | ||
20, 2019, by a non-record vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||