83R8593 STE-F
By: Creighton, et al. H.C.R. No. 72
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States reads, "The powers not delegated to the United States
by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States respectively, or to the people"; and
WHEREAS, The Founding Fathers created the federal government
as an agent of the states, not to supplant states' rights; and
WHEREAS, The Texas Constitution affirms the notion, in
Section 1, Article I, that "Texas is a free and independent State,
subject only to the Constitution of the United States, and the
maintenance of our free institutions and the perpetuity of the
Union depend upon the preservation of the right of local
self-government, unimpaired to all the States"; and
WHEREAS, The health insurance tax is a usurpation of state
sovereignty and abuse of federal power; and
WHEREAS, The health insurance tax disparages the autonomy of
the states, in violation of the Tenth Amendment; and
WHEREAS, The health insurance tax will cost the State of
Texas additional billions of dollars in government expenses; and
WHEREAS, The National Federation of Independent Businesses
reported the tax will result in 6,000 fewer private sector jobs and
billions of dollars of lost sales in the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS, The Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation noted
that "taxes may be borne by: consumers in the form of higher prices;
owners of firms in the form of lower profits; employees of firms in
the form of lower wages; or other suppliers to firms in the form of
lower payments"; and
WHEREAS, The health insurance tax will disproportionately
burden the small businesses of Texas with increased premiums; and
WHEREAS, The Congressional Budget Office noted, "fees would
largely be passed through to consumers in the form of higher
premiums for private coverage"; and
WHEREAS, The men and women of Texas will ultimately bear the
costs of the health insurance tax, putting health care out of reach
for many; and
WHEREAS, The health insurance tax will stifle job creation,
increase health care costs, and burden the economy of Texas; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby reaffirm the pride of all Texans in our nation and our state;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature reject unlimited
submission to the current administration and Congress, reaffirm the
sovereignty of our state, as granted by the Tenth Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, and oppose the health insurance
tax.