Equal military benefits for citizens.

WORKING DRAFT
2009
STATE OF
WYOMING
09LSO-0155

SENATE
JOINT RESOLUTION
NO.
SJ0001

Equal military benefits for citizens.

Sponsored by:

Senator
(s) Esquibel, F.,
Coe, Cooper and Hastert and Representative(s)
Bagby, Buchanan, Lockhart
and
Thompson

A Bill

for

A JOINT RESOLUTION requesting Congress to
provide equal benefits to
Puerto Rican

V
eterans
.

WHEREAS,
Puerto Rico has been a territory of the
United States
since 1898; and

WHEREAS, Puerto Ricans have been
U.S.

c
itizens since the approval of the Jones Act in 1917; and

WHEREAS, Puerto Ricans have fought and died valiantly in all major
U.S.
military conflicts; and

WHEREAS, the participation of the American citizens of
Puerto Rico
has always been commendable and honorable in all armed conflicts of paramount importance to our Nation; and

WHEREAS, President Abraham Lincoln, when delivering his second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865 spoke of the need "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan", and not to care only for some of those who shall have borne the battle; and

WHEREAS, Puerto Rican veterans have "borne the battle" in the defense of our democracy and freedom in order to preserve our way of life and to protect our Country and its interests around the world; and

WHEREAS, Puerto Rican
V
eterans deserve all the support, help, respect and admiration of their government and fellow citizens for risking their lives in the line of fire; and

WHEREAS, veterans residing in Puerto Rico should be entitled to all the privileges other
U.S.
veterans enjoy; and

WHEREAS, veterans who reside in Puerto Rico do not have the same TRICARE benefit options available to all other U.S.
V
eterans in the mainland; and

WHEREAS, Puerto Rican
V
eterans certainly deserve the same benefits and equal treatment as their peers.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
WYOMING
:

Section 1.

That the
Wyoming
State Legislature recognizes the honorable and valuable service rendered by Puerto Rican
V
eterans in the Armed
F
orces of the
United States of America
for the protection of the lives and freedom of our citizens and t
he democracy of our Nation.

Section 2.
That
the Wyoming State Legislature expresses the need for fair and equal treatment regarding TRICARE health care benefit options available to veterans who reside in Puerto Rico and urge the Wyoming Congressional Delegation to support measures to provide those veterans the same benefits available to all other veterans who reside in the fifty (50) states and the District of Columbia.

Section 3
.
That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit 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 the Wyoming Congressional Delegation.

(END)

1
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