81R12730 BPG-F
By: Christian H.C.R. No. 116
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law on February 17, 2009; and
WHEREAS, This legislation will result in $787 billion of
stimulus spending by the federal government through state and local
units of government, and this extraordinary increase in spending
will burden future generations of Americans with unprecedented
levels of debt; and
WHEREAS, Texas has built its economic strength through low
taxation, a balanced budget, and a predictable regulatory climate;
as a result of its fiscally conservative approach, the state has
created 393,300 jobs over the past two years, which is 124,300 more
jobs than it is estimated that the federal stimulus spending will
create or save in Texas over the next two years; and
WHEREAS, The size of government in the state could grow by $16
billion as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009; this expansion is fundamentally at odds with the fiscally
sound approach that has made Texas the nation's largest creator of
private sector jobs and the nation's biggest exporter; and
WHEREAS, Texas can retain the strength of its economy by
ensuring that federal stimulus funds are not used to create new
government programs or expand existing programs; because federal
stimulus funds will not be available in future years, any new
programs that are created will eventually have to be funded by state
tax revenues that are needed for meeting constitutional obligations
and providing essential services; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby direct all state agencies to ensure that federal stimulus
funding is used only to finance one-time, non-recurring expenses
that do not require permanent changes to Texas law; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That counties, cities, school districts, and other
local governments that receive federal stimulus funds also ensure
that federal stimulus funding is used only to finance one-time,
non-recurring expenses that do not require permanent changes to
Texas law; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That federal stimulus funds received by the State
of Texas not impact the maintenance of effort required by any public
health, public education, or welfare program to attract federal
matching funds in the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward copies of
this resolution to the governor of the State of Texas, to every
agency of the state that is expected to receive federal stimulus
funding, and to every county, city, school district, and special
district that is currently authorized to levy a tax; 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 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.