| 1 | 1 | | 85S10794 KSM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Anchia H.C.R. No. 19 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Since 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement |
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| 7 | 7 | | has transformed economic relations among the United States, Mexico, |
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| 8 | 8 | | and Canada; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The accord has driven unprecedented integration |
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| 10 | 10 | | among the economies, helping to more than triple regional trade and |
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| 11 | 11 | | encouraging a dramatic rise in cross-border investment; economists |
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| 12 | 12 | | largely agree that NAFTA has enhanced prosperity in all three |
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| 13 | 13 | | countries, as regional trade increased sharply over the first two |
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| 14 | 14 | | decades, from roughly $290 billion in 1993 to more than $1.1 |
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| 15 | 15 | | trillion in 2016; as many as 14 million U.S. jobs rely on this |
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| 16 | 16 | | trade; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The economic effects of NAFTA on Texas are |
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| 18 | 18 | | particularly profound, due to its proximity to Mexico, which is the |
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| 19 | 19 | | state's top export market; in 2015, exports from Texas to Mexico |
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| 20 | 20 | | totaled $92.5 billion, and as of 2014, 382,000 Texas jobs depended |
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| 21 | 21 | | on cross-border trade; moreover, the availability of lower-priced |
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| 22 | 22 | | goods from Mexico has had a favorable influence on the state's cost |
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| 23 | 23 | | of living; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, The Texas economy would be negatively impacted |
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| 25 | 25 | | should the United States withdraw from NAFTA; it is vital that Texas |
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| 26 | 26 | | protect its economic interests; now, therefore, be it |
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| 27 | 27 | | RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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| 28 | 28 | | 1st Called Session, hereby request the lieutenant governor and the |
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| 29 | 29 | | speaker of the House of Representatives to create a joint interim |
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| 30 | 30 | | committee to study the impact on Texas of any proposed |
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| 31 | 31 | | modifications to NAFTA being considered; and, be it further |
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| 32 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be |
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| 33 | 33 | | governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim |
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| 34 | 34 | | committees as the 85th Legislature may adopt. |
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