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LC01878

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO STUDY

ESTABLISHING A REGISTRY AND IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM TO EXPAND

CONSUMER AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR RHODE ISLAND'S VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESSES

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Cote, Bates, Pichardo, Ottiano, and Jabour

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

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     WHEREAS, Since 2001, over two million American military personnel have been

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deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; and

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island, along with the rest of the country, is witnessing the return of

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our mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and sons and daughters from the field of battle; and

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island, despite its small size, has borne a significant share of the

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sacrifice from these recent conflicts; and

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     WHEREAS, The call back to active duty status rate for our state’s National Guard is the

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second highest in the entire United States, with over 10,000 unit deployments; and

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     WHEREAS, The number of veterans living in Rhode Island who served in the Gulf Wars

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is three times higher than the national per capita average, and is expected to grow as troops begin

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to withdraw from Afghanistan; and

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     WHEREAS, The fundamental freedoms enjoyed by all citizens of our state and these

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United States are insured in no small part through the honorable service of our nations military

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veterans; and

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     WHEREAS, The people of our state have a deep debt of gratitude for the sacrifices made

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by these men and women, who as combat veterans placed their lives in harm’s way to protect and

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defend our nation from all foreign enemies and terrorist threats; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby finds and declares, in order to ensure that these veterans can ultimately obtain rewarding

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full-time civilian employment working either for themselves or other firms, that all state officers

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and departments strive to deliver assistance and services in innovative ways that not only meet,

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but exceed, the expectations of our veterans and their families; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests that the Honorable Secretary

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of State study establishing a registry of veteran-owned businesses within the Secretary of State’s

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Office and the creation of a state-issued “decal” to identify veteran-owned businesses to the

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public so as to further educate and encourage consumers to support Rhode Island’s veteran-

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owned small businesses; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to The Honorable A. Ralph Mollis.

     

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LC01878

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