Bill Text: TX SR763 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Urging support for the rights of Compact of Free Association islanders residing in Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-19 - Reported enrolled [SR763 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SR763-Enrolled.html
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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 United States 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 United States government grants and are | ||
subjected to United States military presence under the COFA | ||
treaty; and | ||
WHEREAS, Because of the unique relationship between the | ||
three COFA nations and the United States, the COFA treaties allow | ||
island citizens to enter the United States 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 United States 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 United States armed | ||
forces at a higher rate per capita than United States | ||
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 United States military are stationed at | ||
Texas military bases, including Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, Fort Sam | ||
Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Sheppard Air Force Base, | ||
Randolph Air Force Base, and Goodfellow Air Force Base; 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 United States | ||
have historically been eligible; and | ||
WHEREAS, COFA islanders and their children who reside in | ||
the United States should be fairly treated in recognition of the | ||
long-standing connection between the United States and the COFA | ||
islands and the continued need of the United States to maintain a | ||
strong military and economic presence in the island nations; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th | ||
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. | ||
Johnson | ||
________________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on May 19, 2019. | ||
________________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate |