The following resolutions were passed on September 15th, 2011 at the Harris County – County Executive Committee meeting. We love our veterans and will ensure they are not polled taxed out of voting. We love humanity and will fight for decent healthcare for all.
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A RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE V.A. CARDS Whereas: Additional Photo I.D.’s are now required under new voting requirements signed into law In 2011 by Governor Rick Perry, effective with elections beginning in 2012. Whereas: in 2012 legally recognized photo ID’s include: drivers license, election identification certificate, DFP personal ID card, U.S. Citizenship certificate, U.S. passport and license to carry a concealed handgun issued by DPS and U.S. military ID. Whereas: 1.7 million Texas Veterans qualify to carry a V.A. card( Veterans Identification Card- VIC) issued by the cabinet level Department of Veterans affairs established by President George H.W. Bush. Whereas: The process of vetting applicants for VA cards (VIC) is equally as rigorous as military I.D.’s and any of the aforementioned legally recognized I.D.’s and the House sponsor of the I.D. bill acknowledged that the omission of the V.A. card (VIC) was an “oversight”. And Whereas: The V.A. card (VIC) is in every respect a “military I.D.” issued by a co-equal cabinet office with the Department of Defense, which can only be earned by one honorably discharged from the military service to their county and disallowing it is an insult to their service: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HARRIS COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE and the HCDP County Chair strongly urge the Texas Secretary of State, appointed by Governor Rick Perry who signed the Voter ID into law, and Harris County Clerk to accept the VA card (VIC) as a legitimate “military” photo identification. Further, that they be required to instruct Judges and Clerks authenticating voters in the 2012 Democratic Primary Election as well as the 2012 General Election of the legitimacy of the VA Card (VIC) as a Photo ID Pursuant to §63.0101 of the Texas Election Code.
Stanley F. Merriman 1st Lt., U.S. Army |
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Toward Making Better Lives for All Health Care in Harris County Whereas, (1) More and more people in our communities are losing access to adequate health insurance, and more than 1 million residents of Harris County (27% of the population) are uninsured or underinsured; and (2) Changes in Medicaid from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mean that more than 500 thousand persons will become newly eligible in Harris County within two years; and (3) County Emergency Rooms are presently inundated by patients with no other medical home; and (4) The Harris County jail is now the largest mental health facility in the state of Texas, housing patients caught in the revolving door of the criminal justice system; and (5) At the same time, the Texas Medical Center is the bright star of this area for medical research, medical education, public health planning, and medical treatment. Therefore, let it be resolved, that: The Harris County Democratic Party challenges, encourages, and supports the Texas Medical Center – in the short term (1-2 years): (1) To use its resources to coordinate the numerous public and private agencies, clinics, medical schools, and hospitals in Harris County to hold massive 1-day free clinics all over the county in order to identify those with no insurance or no medical home, counsel them as to appropriate resources, enroll them in some medical home (such as a neighborhood clinic), and provide preliminary preventive care for all residents; and (2) To develop a mechanism by which mental health patients caught in the criminal justice system, including those with drug and addiction problems, could be reintegrated into society through an appropriate agency or service provider; and (3) To ask all hospitals, those for profit and those designated as not-for-profit, to double the amount of care they list annually as “charity care;” and – in the long term (5-6 years): (4) To develop a plan for a comprehensive, multi-county, regional Accountable Care Organization (as described in the Affordable Care Act), using all the resources available therein; and (5 To seek legislative support for more resources and personnel, especially for the same per capita funding as provided for others in the state (such as San Antonio and Dallas), in order to develop the regional medical home appropriate for the outstanding medical community in the Texas Medical Center. Some Resources:
George M. Atkinson |