| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2499 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of |
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| 6 | 6 | | Texas are the descendants of a proud people who have lived in Texas |
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| 7 | 7 | | and northern Mexico for nearly two centuries; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Also known as the Kiikaapoa, the Kickapoos are an |
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| 9 | 9 | | Algonquian-speaking people who once lived a seminomadic lifestyle |
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| 10 | 10 | | in the Great Lakes region; a group of Kickapoos settled in Texas in |
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| 11 | 11 | | the 1830s and later moved through the Eagle Pass area into Mexico; |
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| 12 | 12 | | in the 1850s, the Mexican government awarded the Kickapoos land at |
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| 13 | 13 | | El Nacimiento, Coahuila, located around 130 miles south of Eagle |
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| 14 | 14 | | Pass; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Given special status to pass and repass the |
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| 16 | 16 | | U.S.-Mexico border, members of the tribe traveled back and forth |
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| 17 | 17 | | between the two countries for seasonal farm work; in 1983, the U.S. |
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| 18 | 18 | | government instructed the Secretary of the Interior to take land |
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| 19 | 19 | | into trust for the Kickapoos in Maverick County; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas was |
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| 21 | 21 | | officially recognized by the Texas Indian Commission in 1977 and |
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| 22 | 22 | | received federal recognition in 1983, and today more than 1,100 |
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| 23 | 23 | | members are enrolled in the tribe; the tribe is represented by a |
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| 24 | 24 | | tribal government, which provides members with a range of important |
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| 25 | 25 | | services and operates the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel, |
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| 26 | 26 | | along with other business ventures; in addition to generating |
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| 27 | 27 | | revenue for the health, housing, education, and economic |
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| 28 | 28 | | development of tribal members, the casino has served as a powerful |
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| 29 | 29 | | economic engine for the surrounding community, drawing numerous |
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| 30 | 30 | | other businesses and jobs to the area; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Celebrating their rich heritage as they work to |
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| 32 | 32 | | build an even better tomorrow, the people of the Kickapoo Tribe may |
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| 33 | 33 | | indeed take great pride in their unique contributions to the |
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| 34 | 34 | | history and culture of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 36 | 36 | | Legislature hereby recognize the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of |
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| 37 | 37 | | Texas and extend to its members sincere best wishes for the future; |
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| 38 | 38 | | and, be it further |
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| 39 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 40 | 40 | | prepared for the tribe as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 41 | 41 | | House of Representatives. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Morales of Maverick |
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| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 45 | 45 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2499 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 46 | 46 | | 29, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 47 | 47 | | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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