By: Perry, et al. S.R. No. 678
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Texas Senate finds that border security is a
federal responsibility; and
WHEREAS, Due to the lack of action by the federal
government, the State of Texas has been forced to continually
appropriate funds to secure the southern border of the United
States; and
WHEREAS, Texas has taken these actions not just for the
people of Texas, but to help maintain safety and security across
the United States; and
WHEREAS, The human costs of sex trafficking, human
trafficking, drug proliferation, and the expansion of vast
criminal enterprises cannot be easily quantified; and
WHEREAS, The financial cost that the State of Texas has
paid or will pay to combat these criminal acts has totaled more
than $9,927,000,000; and
WHEREAS, The state has spent the following amounts on
border security in each of the most recent biennial state
budgets:
2016-2017 - $800,000,000
2018-2019 - $800,000,000
2020-2021 - $800,600,000
2022-2023 - $2,926,400,000; and
WHEREAS, Texas plans to spend $4,600,000,000 to secure the
border in the 2024-2025 biennium; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature
hereby respectfully request that the Congress of the United
States fully reimburse the State of Texas for $9,927,000,000 in
expended funds that were used or will be used to meet federal
obligations to secure the southern border; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That Texas is not seeking reimbursement for
additional costs associated with securing the southern border,
including the additional strains that have been placed on the
state's healthcare and education systems, and the impacts on
local law enforcement or private property damage; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That the secretary of the Senate forward
official copies of this resolution to the president of the United
States, to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the
House of Representatives of the United States Congress, and to
all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the
request that this resolution be officially entered in the
Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United
States of America.
_______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 29, 2023, by a
viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate