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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Texas Veterans Commission was named the winner |
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| 6 | 7 | | of an Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award for Outstanding |
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| 7 | 8 | | State Program in 2015; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Established by the U.S. Department of Veterans |
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| 9 | 10 | | Affairs and the National Association of State Directors of Veterans |
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| 10 | 11 | | Affairs, the Pillars of Excellence Awards recognize state programs |
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| 11 | 12 | | that significantly improve veteran access to benefits and services; |
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| 12 | 13 | | and |
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| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, The Texas Veterans Commission received this |
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| 14 | 15 | | prestigious honor for its role in supporting the Military Veteran |
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| 15 | 16 | | Peer Network (MVPN) in collaboration with the Texas Department of |
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| 16 | 17 | | State Health Services and the state's local mental health |
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| 17 | 18 | | authorities; an affiliation of service members, veterans, and their |
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| 18 | 19 | | families, the MVPN is dedicated to easing veterans' transition to |
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| 19 | 20 | | civilian life by identifying community resources and fostering a |
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| 20 | 21 | | sense of camaraderie; so far, the network's 35 coordinators have |
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| 21 | 22 | | recruited and trained approximately 1,000 volunteers in peer |
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| 22 | 23 | | support and mental health awareness; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, In addition to this innovative program, the TVC |
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| 24 | 25 | | continues to provide veterans with such crucial services as claims |
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| 25 | 26 | | assistance, employment support, educational opportunities, and |
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| 26 | 27 | | grant funding; by consolidating such a wide range of resources into |
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| 27 | 28 | | one department, Texas has become a national leader in this area and |
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| 28 | 29 | | serves as a model for other states wanting to create a comprehensive |
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| 29 | 30 | | and integrated veterans agency; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, The year 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of |
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| 31 | 32 | | President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, in which he |
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| 32 | 33 | | eloquently affirmed the nation's obligation to veterans and their |
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| 33 | 34 | | families, and the Texas Veterans Commission is honoring that |
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| 34 | 35 | | promise by ensuring that the men and women who have risked their |
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| 35 | 36 | | lives to defend and protect this nation receive the support and |
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| 36 | 37 | | assistance they so richly deserve; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Legislature hereby congratulate the Texas Veterans Commission on |
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| 39 | 40 | | its receipt of a 2015 Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award |
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| 40 | 41 | | for Outstanding State Program and extend to all those associated |
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| 41 | 42 | | with the program sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be |
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| 42 | 43 | | it further |
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| 43 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 44 | 45 | | prepared for the commission as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 45 | 46 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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