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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, For well over a century, Americans have set aside |
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| 6 | 7 | | Memorial Day as a time to honor those members of its military forces |
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| 7 | 8 | | who have given their lives in service to the United States; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, This observance was introduced after the Civil War |
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| 9 | 10 | | as a means of paying tribute to those who had died on both sides of |
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| 10 | 11 | | the conflict; originally called Decoration Day for the practice of |
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| 11 | 12 | | adorning the graves of soldiers with flowers once a year, the |
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| 12 | 13 | | holiday came to be known as Memorial Day, a day to honor all of the |
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| 13 | 14 | | country's fallen; though it was celebrated on May 30 for a number of |
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| 14 | 15 | | decades, it has been observed on the final Monday in May since the |
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| 15 | 16 | | early 1970s; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, In communities across the nation, veterans and their |
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| 17 | 18 | | fellow citizens gather in cemeteries and other public places to pay |
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| 18 | 19 | | tribute to the armed forces personnel who died protecting our |
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| 19 | 20 | | liberty; "Taps," the haunting bugle call customarily performed at |
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| 20 | 21 | | military funerals and memorials since the Civil War, is played |
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| 21 | 22 | | during these ceremonies, and in accordance with tradition, the |
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| 22 | 23 | | United States flag is lowered to half staff early in the day before |
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| 23 | 24 | | being raised again at noon; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, The most well-known observance of Memorial Day |
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| 25 | 26 | | occurs in Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown |
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| 26 | 27 | | Soldier, where the remains of unidentified Americans from World War |
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| 27 | 28 | | I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War are interred; |
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| 28 | 29 | | the president of the United States, accompanied by honor guards |
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| 29 | 30 | | from all branches of the armed services, traditionally lays a |
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| 30 | 31 | | wreath at the tomb, and a bugler offers a final salute by playing |
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| 31 | 32 | | "Taps"; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Americans owe an immeasurable debt to those men and |
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| 33 | 34 | | women who made the ultimate sacrifice in behalf of the peace and |
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| 34 | 35 | | stability of our nation, and it is a privilege to join with citizens |
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| 35 | 36 | | across the country in paying homage to the courage, commitment, and |
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| 36 | 37 | | patriotism of its military personnel; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Legislature hereby recognize Memorial Day 2019 in solemn |
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| 39 | 40 | | commemoration of those who have died in service to our nation. |
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