H.C.R. No. 79
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Border communities, such as Laredo, contend with
heightened responsibilities in the world today, and since the
advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, Laredo
has become the busiest United States port of entry from Mexico and
the sixth-largest customs district in the country, with more than
$167 billion in total trade in 2007; while the heavy flow of
international commerce is a boon to the local economy, it presents
tremendous challenges to the first responders who protect the state
and the nation as well as their own community; and
WHEREAS, The Bureau of Transportation Statistics calculated
that more than 1.5 million trucks and 300,000 rail containers
crossed through Laredo in 2006, and according to Texas Department
of Transportation estimates, truck tonnage will increase by some
250 percent by 2030; about half of this cargo includes hazardous
material, and more than 60 million square feet of warehouse space in
the city also contains significant amounts of hazardous materials,
creating a tempting target for terrorists and enormous potential
for a disaster that could not only endanger public health but also
disrupt major transportation systems and negatively impact the
national economy; and
WHEREAS, Relatively isolated on its side of the border,
Laredo is 150 miles from the nearest sizable U.S. city, and its
police, fire, and public health personnel are the primary emergency
responders for a region of more than 3,000 square miles; this
includes a long stretch of the Rio Grande, which is the primary
drinking water source for Laredo, Nuevo Laredo, and other
communities in the Rio Grande Valley, making swift response to any
contamination extremely critical; in addition, the United
States-Mexico Border Health Commission has recognized the region as
among those most vulnerable to perils such as bioterrorism and
epidemics; and
WHEREAS, The Laredo Police Department has increased
vigilance over border activity since the attacks of September 11,
2001, and confronts an escalating threat from violent international
drug traffickers, who have been linked to terrorism; the fire
department responds to a wide range of emergencies along the Rio
Grande, from the rescue or recovery of individuals who have
attempted to cross into the United States to bomb threats; and
WHEREAS, The emergency response system in Laredo requires a
higher level of funding to ensure public safety and meet homeland
security imperatives; for instance, the city has only one hazardous
materials response unit, purchased in 1991 and long overdue for
upgrades; it lacks a detection system for chemical, biological,
radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive weapons, as well as
for quick assessment and management of industrial accidents; among
other urgent needs are enhanced police staffing, improved radio
coverage in remote areas, and construction of a secure regional
emergency operations center where safety personnel and local,
state, and federal government officials can coordinate decisions
and resources in a crisis; and
WHEREAS, With an estimated population of 217,000, Laredo is a
much smaller city than other major United States ports; its own
budget is accordingly limited, and at the same time, its size has
been an impediment in the pursuit of federal assistance; homeland
security funding formulas currently use census figures rather than
threat risk in determining eligibility for such programs as the
Urban Areas Security Initiative and Targeted Infrastructure
Capability Grants Program, and, as a land port, Laredo is likewise
ineligible for the Port Security Grant Program, even though it
processes more international shipments than such grant recipients
as Mobile, Alabama, and Lake Charles, Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Laredo, as the nation's second-busiest land
gateway, shoulders unique law enforcement, public safety, and
national security burdens far out of proportion to the size of its
population; increased federal funding is necessary to strengthen
first response where local agencies with strained budgets are
responsible for protecting our nation's critical infrastructure
and addressing international threats; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to refine
Department of Homeland Security policy to consider risk levels as
well as population size in assessing the financial needs of first
responders in border communities along the international boundary
created by the Rio Grande; 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.
Guillen
Raymond
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 79 was adopted by the House on April
9, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 79 was adopted by the Senate on May
26, 2009, by a viva-voce vote.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor