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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The regulation and oversight of the health insurance |
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market are powers that have traditionally and historically been |
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reserved for state government; and |
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WHEREAS, Through their direct knowledge of market |
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conditions, state legislatures are uniquely positioned to respond |
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quickly and efficiently to the needs of local constituents; over |
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the years, this state-based system of regulation has served all |
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interests well; and |
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WHEREAS, The United States Congress overstepped its |
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constitutional authority when it passed the Patient Protection and |
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Affordable Care Act on March 21, 2010; the Act encroaches on the |
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sovereignty of states, forcing them to spend billions of additional |
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dollars on entitlement programs; according to the Texas Health and |
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Human Services Commission, the new federal Medicaid standards |
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imposed by the Act will double the number of recipients and require |
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Texas taxpayers to spend an additional $24.3 billion over a 10-year |
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period; moreover, by shifting substantial administrative |
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responsibilities to the states, the new law will require that state |
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employees and agencies devote enormous amounts of time and |
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resources to implementation; and |
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WHEREAS, The Act also infringes on the liberty of individuals |
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by mandating that all citizens and legal residents of the United |
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States obtain qualifying health care coverage or pay a tax penalty; |
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this mandate exceeds the powers of the federal government under |
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Article I of the United States Constitution and violates the Tenth |
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Amendment; and |
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WHEREAS, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act not |
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only is unconstitutional, its implementation will endanger |
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economic stability by adding billions of dollars to the already |
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staggering national debt; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby express its opposition to the Patient Protection and |
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Affordable Care Act; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |