89R8126 TBO-D     By: Ordaz, Bonnen, Paul, Morales of Maverick, H.C.R. No. 35       Lopez of Cameron       CONCURRENT RESOLUTION          WHEREAS, Since the "space race" of the 1960s, Texas has been   at the forefront of space exploration, discovery, and innovation,   and the state is sure to play an instrumental role in defining the   next phase of American involvement in space; and          WHEREAS, Texas is home to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space   Center as well as more than 2,000 aerospace establishments; during   the 88th Session of the Texas Legislature, the Texas Space   Commission was established to strengthen the state's leadership in   aerospace activity, and the Texas Aerospace Research and Space   Economy Consortium was launched to serve as a forum for higher   education and industry experts seeking to advance the state's role   in space operations; and          WHEREAS, In 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the   Texas Economic Development Corporation recognized Texas as a   powerhouse in the rapidly expanding private space sector;   commercial investment in space transportation has driven the need   for spaceport sites, operating environments, and infrastructure,   and Texas ranks second in the nation in the number of spaceport   locations; and          WHEREAS, Tax-exempt private activity bonds currently finance   a wide range of facilities, including airports, docks, and wharves,   which, like spaceports, serve as hubs for the transportation of   people and freight; the qualification of spaceports for tax-exempt   private activity bonds would encourage more investment in aerospace   infrastructure, benefiting both Texas and the nation as a whole;   and          WHEREAS, The United States cannot afford to fall behind in   the highly competitive field of space operations, and making   spaceports eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds would   help to ensure that the nation maintains its leadership in space   commerce; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas   hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to amend the   Internal Revenue Code to make spaceports eligible for tax-exempt   private activity bonds; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state 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 entered in the Congressional Record as a   memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.