| 1 | 1 | | 86R17377 SME-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hinojosa H.R. No. 776 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Department of Health has issued a report |
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| 7 | 7 | | outlining the increased risk of extreme weather events, including |
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| 8 | 8 | | wildfires, water scarcity, and flooding, and these impacts of |
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| 9 | 9 | | climate change will affect Texas citizens and impair productivity |
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| 10 | 10 | | in key economic areas; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Texas' total annual greenhouse gas emissions are the |
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| 12 | 12 | | largest of any state, and it has the highest amount of industrial |
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| 13 | 13 | | and transportation-related emissions in the country; in 1999, Texas |
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| 14 | 14 | | became the first state in the nation to adopt an Energy Efficiency |
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| 15 | 15 | | Resource Standard, but has since fallen significantly behind in |
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| 16 | 16 | | energy efficiency; while 40 states saw increases in energy |
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| 17 | 17 | | efficiency compared to total energy consumption between 2008 and |
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| 18 | 18 | | 2016, Texas was among those that experienced decreases; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, The state has more than 233,000 people working in |
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| 20 | 20 | | advanced energy across all 254 of its counties, representing more |
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| 21 | 21 | | workers than those in mining and oil and gas, and double those |
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| 22 | 22 | | working at auto dealerships; Texas has great potential to maximize |
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| 23 | 23 | | its advanced energy job market in order to increase energy |
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| 24 | 24 | | efficiency and the use of its renewable energy sources; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Efforts to address climate change and its effects |
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| 26 | 26 | | would strengthen our economy and its global competitiveness, as |
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| 27 | 27 | | well as reduce pollutants that adversely impact the health of many |
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| 28 | 28 | | state residents; a leader in technological innovation and |
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| 29 | 29 | | problem-solving ingenuity, Texas recognizes the inherent worth of |
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| 30 | 30 | | our natural resources and has a strong tradition of supporting |
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| 31 | 31 | | stewardship of the environment; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Preservation of the state's role as a leader in |
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| 33 | 33 | | fiscal responsibility depends on the prudent management of our |
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| 34 | 34 | | land, air, and water, and the conservation and maintenance of |
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| 35 | 35 | | ecosystems will benefit future generations; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature hereby urge the members of the Texas delegation of the |
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| 38 | 38 | | United States Congress to move forward with bipartisan climate |
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| 39 | 39 | | action policy initiatives and encourage individuals, corporations, |
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| 40 | 40 | | and state agencies to reduce emissions and support the growth of |
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| 41 | 41 | | technologies and services that will enlarge and diversify our |
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| 42 | 42 | | economy in energy-efficient, cost-effective ways; and, be it |
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| 43 | 43 | | further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That the chief clerk forward official copies of |
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| 45 | 45 | | this resolution to the Texas delegation of the United States |
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| 46 | 46 | | Congress as an expression of sentiment by the Texas House of |
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| 47 | 47 | | Representatives. |
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