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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, A number of caring individuals and organizations in |
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| 6 | 7 | | McAllen have given generously of their time and resources to |
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| 7 | 8 | | alleviate the crisis brought on by the recent wave of immigrants |
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| 8 | 9 | | entering the Rio Grande Valley; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, During the past year, migrants--mostly families and |
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| 10 | 11 | | unaccompanied children--have crossed the border in unforeseen |
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| 11 | 12 | | numbers, many of them fleeing violence in their Central American |
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| 12 | 13 | | home countries with the hope of gaining asylum in the U.S.; the |
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| 13 | 14 | | sudden influx of immigrants has placed an overwhelming strain on |
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| 14 | 15 | | the community, contributing to substandard and sometimes desperate |
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| 15 | 16 | | conditions at the facilities used to house these men, women, and |
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| 16 | 17 | | children; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Across the city of McAllen and neighboring |
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| 18 | 19 | | communities, civic and religious leaders have been stirred to |
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| 19 | 20 | | respond to this humanitarian emergency with initiative and |
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| 20 | 21 | | compassion; at the request of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande |
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| 21 | 22 | | Valley, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in downtown McAllen has |
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| 22 | 23 | | expanded its offerings to further serve as a gathering point for |
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| 23 | 24 | | volunteers and a place where they could supply new arrivals with |
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| 24 | 25 | | nutritious meals, water, clean clothing, and temporary shelter; |
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| 25 | 26 | | additional civic and charitable groups are answering the call with |
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| 26 | 27 | | donations and other means of assistance, and doctors are staffing |
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| 27 | 28 | | mobile medical units in order to treat individuals with health |
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| 28 | 29 | | concerns; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Several public officials have provided important |
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| 30 | 31 | | support for the relief operations; among them are Hidalgo County |
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| 31 | 32 | | Judge Ramon Garcia, Hidalgo County emergency management |
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| 32 | 33 | | coordinator Oscar Montoya, City of McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, and |
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| 33 | 34 | | City of McAllen Chief of Police Victor Rodriguez; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Leaders in the charitable effort are members of |
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| 35 | 36 | | Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and the organization's |
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| 36 | 37 | | executive director, Sister Norma Pimentel, Dr. Carlos Cardenas of |
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| 37 | 38 | | Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, and physicians Dr. Layra Canales |
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| 38 | 39 | | and Dr. Pedro Montano; and |
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| 39 | 40 | | WHEREAS, Those who come to the aid of others in a time of need |
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| 40 | 41 | | exemplify the noblest qualities of the human spirit, and through |
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| 41 | 42 | | their determination to help, these selfless men and women have made |
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| 42 | 43 | | a positive difference in the lives of countless people; now, |
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| 43 | 44 | | therefore, be it |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 45 | 46 | | Legislature hereby honor the many individuals and organizations who |
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| 46 | 47 | | are participating in the humanitarian relief efforts in McAllen and |
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| 47 | 48 | | extend to them sincere gratitude for their hard work, kindness, and |
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| 48 | 49 | | dedication. |
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