Bill Text: TX SCR31 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Expressing opposition to using eminent domain for the construction of a wall or fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-16 - Referred to State Affairs [SCR31 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SCR31-Introduced.html
By: Uresti, et al. | S.C.R. No. 31 | |
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WHEREAS, The construction of a wall or fence along the | ||
U.S.-Mexico border could lead the federal government to use eminent | ||
domain to infringe on the rights of private landowners in Texas; and | ||
WHEREAS, Privately owned land composes 67 percent of the | ||
U.S.-Mexico Border, and most of that property is located in the Lone | ||
Star State; border fencing has already resulted in bisecting | ||
private property without the consent of landowners, and due to the | ||
winding geography along the Rio Grande, a wall or more fencing would | ||
need to be built inland, separating even more property of Texas | ||
landowners from the United States; and | ||
WHEREAS, The path of the Rio Grande boasts many of the | ||
greatest natural wonders of Texas, including Big Bend National | ||
Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, the Amistad National Recreation | ||
Area, and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River; a border wall or | ||
fence would undoubtedly detract from the splendor of these state | ||
treasures and negatively affect tourism; and | ||
WHEREAS, Instead of a barrier, the federal government should | ||
continue focusing on alternative, more cost-effective measures for | ||
enforcing federal law on the U.S.-Mexico border, including using | ||
surveillance technology and integrating federal operations with | ||
state and local law enforcement agencies; and | ||
WHEREAS, Erecting a border wall or fence would constitute one | ||
of the largest federal land grabs for a single security-related | ||
project in our nation's history, and it is incumbent on the U.S. | ||
government to enforce federal law on the southern border in a way | ||
that will not violate the rights of Texas landowners, harm the state | ||
economy, and waste taxpayer money; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby express its opposition to using eminent domain for the | ||
construction of a wall or fence along the U.S.-Mexico border; and, | ||
be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official | ||
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to | ||
the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the | ||
Senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the | ||
Texas delegation to the Congress with the request that this | ||
resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a | ||
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |