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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The town of West was devastated by the fertilizer |
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plant explosion on April 17, 2013, which claimed 15 lives, injured |
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hundreds of people, and laid waste to a 37-square-block area; and |
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WHEREAS, The President of the United States issued an |
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emergency declaration under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford |
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Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and when he |
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participated in an April 25 memorial service, he indicated that the |
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federal government would support recovery efforts; after providing |
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initial assistance, however, the Federal Emergency Management |
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Agency denied a request for additional aid for the repair and |
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replacement of infrastructure, claiming the destruction "is not of |
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the severity and magnitude that warrants a major disaster |
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declaration"; and |
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WHEREAS, The explosion in West damaged some 350 homes, |
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representing about half of the town's houses; moreover, three of |
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the four schools in the West Independent School District were lost, |
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and much of the city's street and water infrastructure was damaged; |
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at the same time, the school district and the city lost about $40 |
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million of their tax base, making it difficult to pay for |
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rebuilding; this catastrophe will affect every resident for years |
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to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby extend sincere sympathy to |
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the residents of West and encourage all citizens in their efforts to |
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rebuild their lives in the aftermath of this horrific tragedy. |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 227 was adopted by the House on June |
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25, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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