Today Cedar Hill (DeSoto, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 22, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 13, 2007 Page: 4 of 18
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Page 4 • Cedar Hill Today • Thursday, September 13, 2007
OPINION
Reed gets a long-delayed Purple Heart
In the late fall
of 1781, after
defeating the
British at
Yorktown, Va.,
Gen. George
Washington
moved his army
of 7,000 soldiers
north to winter at
IQUM New Windsor,
N Y After
CORNYN years of struggle,
Special To Today >* finally appeared
the poorly
equipped, badly fed and rarely paid
revolutionary forces were on the
verge of winning their independence.
As usual, Washington was far-
sighted. He was strapped for funds.
But as he surveyed his troops, sur-
vivors of unusual hardship, he stated:
“The willingness with which our
young people are likely to serve in
any war, no matter how justified.
shall be directly proportional to how
they perceive veterans of earlier wars
were treated and appreciated by our
nation.”
These words of wisdom are as
sound today as they were more than
225 years ago.
A few months later, Washington
established our first military medal.
The Badge of Military Merit, made of
purple silk, was to be awarded
“whenever any singular meritorious
action is performed.”
Only three revolutionary war sol-
diers, all sergeants, were awarded the
badge for heroic action. The medal
was then forgotten for decades. Army
Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur
revived the award in February 1932,
on the 200th anniversary of
Washington’s birth, and renamed it
the Purple Heart. This medal is now
awarded to any soldier who is wound-
ed or killed in combat.
Over the years, nearly 1.7 million
Purple Hearts have been awarded,
with well over 150,000 of the recipi-
ents having been Texans. The nation-
wide total includes one million for
World War II, 137,000 for the Korea
conflict, 200,000 for Vietnam duty
and about 28,000 for Iraq.
But one of the most recent Purple
Hearts awarded to a Texas veteran
occurred under somewhat unusual
circumstances. Marine Sgt. Nyles
Reed was injured near Panmunjom,
Korea, in June of 1952 when an
artillery shell exploded near the Jeep
he was driving, turning it over.
Reed was transported to an aid sta-
tion, where medics soon stitched up a
wound beneath his left eye. The doc-
tor asked Reed: “Do you want a
Purple Heart?”
Instead of pausing to fill out the
paperwork, Reed replied: “I haven’t
got time! They’re waiting for me up
at the front lines.” He returned to
duty with his unit immediately.
Reed is novy 75 years old, a retired
Alvin businessman and a great-grand-
father. Recently, after more than 50
years, he decided it was time to claim
his Purple Heart, so it could be part
of his family legacy. Then came the
hard part - navigating the Pentagon
bureaucracy.
Reed tried to enlist the help of var-
ious offices - including the White
House and the Marine Commandant -
but to no avail. He was repeatedly
turned down. Because of the hectic
circumstances of his injury, there was
no record of the surgery. So Reed
located two fellow Marines, who had
served with him in Korea, to substan-
tiate his account, and my office
helped him navigate the other confir-
mation requirements.
Finally, Reed was informed he had
been awarded the medal and was sent
a certificate. As for the medal itself,
the Navy Personnel Command
informed him it was “out of stock,” a
statement that was not really accurate.
Tens of thousands of these medals
are stored in various locations around
the United States, in large part
because the Pentagon ordered the pro-
duction of 500,000 Purple Hearts in
1945, anticipating an invasion of
Japan that later became unnecessary.
Last month, at a patriotic public
meeting in Pearland, I was honored to
finally award Reed his long-delayed
Purple Heart. It was a useful
reminder of the debt we all owe to
those who risk everything to protect
our freedoms.
Reed also received the communi-
ty’s heartfelt gratitude for his service.
As George Washington hoped, the
sacrifice of Reed and all our veterans
is surely “appreciated by our nation.”
John Corrtyn is a U.S. Senator
from Texas.
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Congress must act
on major issues
This
week I
returned
to
Wash-
ington
from a
busy
August
recess.
Al-
though I
greatly
enjoyed
spend-
ing time
with my fellow Texans over the
last month, much remains to be
done before the close of the
2007 Congressional session.
This is a crucial time in
American history, and major
issues affecting our national
and economic security demand
i
kl
KAY BAILEY
HUTCHISON
Special to Today
action. Despite a challenging
environment in the U.S. Senate,
I am resolved to support legis-
lation that is right for Texas and
the nation.
Our most important respon-
sibility is protecting Americans.
The brave men and women of
our armed forces are engaged
in a Global War on Terror. The
current conflict in the Middle
East has not been without its
challenges, but the stakes could
not be higher. We confront the
terrorists overseas so that we
will not have to face them at
home. Failure to support our
troops and sustain our commit-
ments in Iraq and Afghanistan’
would embolden our enemies.
For this reason, Congress must
See CONGRESS, Page 16
Analysis of proposed constitutional amendments provided
This is the first in a series of articles that
provides an analysis of the constitutional
amendments that will be on the Nov. 6 ballot.
The Texas Legislative Council (TLC) recent-
ly issued a condensed analysis of the amend-
ments, a portion of which Senator John Deuell
has outlined in this update. For the full docu-
ment, visit the TLC website at www.tlc.state.tx.
us, or feel free to contact Deuell’s office.
Amendment No. 1 (H.J.R. No. 103)
The constitutional amendment providing for
the continuation of the constitutional appropria-
tion for facilities and other capital items at
Angelo State University on a change in the gov-
ernance of the university.
Summary: Section 17(a), Article VII, Texas
Constitution, establishes the higher education
fund to provide funding for facilities and other
capital items at certain institutions of higher
education listed in Section 17(b), Article VII,
Texas Constitution. Angelo State University is
listed in Section 17(b) as one of several compo-
nent institutions of the Texas State University
System, as the university was formerly under
the governance of that system. However, in
2007. the 80th Legislature transferred the gover-
nance, management, control and property of
Angelo State University to the Texas Tech
University System. In connection with that
transfer, the proposed amendment would amend
Section 17(b) by listing Angelo State University
with the other component institutions of the
Texas Tech University System. The proposed
amendment will not affect the completion of the
transfer of Angelo State University to the Texas
Tech University System in any way. Further-
more. the proposed amendment appears to have
no effect on Angelo State University’s eligibility
to continue to receive funds from the higher
education fund, but rather revises Section 17(b)
to clarify that the university will continue to
receive such funds regardless of the transfer of
the university to the Texas Tech University
System.
Amendment No. 2 (S.J.R. No. 57)
The constitutional amendment providing for
the issuance of $500 million in general obliga-
tion bonds to finance educational loans to stu-
dents and authorizing bond enhancement agree-
ments with respect to general obligation bonds
issued for that purpose.
Summary: The proposed amendment adds
Section 50b-6 to Article III of the Texas
Constitution, which permits the legislature to
authorize the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board to issue general obligation
bonds of the State of Texas in an amount not to
exceed $500 million. The proceeds of the bonds
must be used to provide educational loans to
students. The proposed amendment also adds
Section 50b-6A to Article III of the Texas
Constitution, which permits the legislature to
authorize the coordinating board to enter into
bond enhancement agreements with appropriate
entities with respect to the bonds to be autho-
rized under Section 50b-6 as well as other gen-
eral obligation bonds issued under current or
former provisions of Article III to finance edu-
cational loans to students.
Amendment No. 3 (H.J.R. No. 40)
The constitutional amendment authorizing
the legislature to provide that the maximum
appraised value of a residence homestead for ad
valorem taxation is limited to the lesser of the
most recent market value of the residence home-
stead as determined by the appraisal entity or
110 percent, or a greater percentage, of the
appraised value of the residence homestead for
the preceding tax year.
Summary: Currently, Subsection (i) of
Section 1, Article VIII, Texas Constitution,
authorizes the legislature to limit the maximum
average annual percentage increase in the
appraised value of a residence homestead for ad
valorem tax purposes to 10 percent, or a greater
percentage, for each year since the most recent
tax appraisal of the homestead. The proposed
amendment amends Subsection (i) to authorize
the legislature to limit the maximum appraised
value of a residence homestead for ad valorem
tax purposes to the lesser of the most recent
market value of the homestead as determined by
the appraisal entity or 110 percent, or a greater
percentage, of the appraised value of the home-
stead for the preceding tax year.
Amendment No. 4 (S.J.R. No. 65)
The constitutional amendment authorizing
the issuance of up to $1 billion in bonds payable
from the general revenues of the state for main-
tenance, improvement, repair, and construction
projects and for the purchase of needed equip-
ment.
Summary: The proposed amendment adds
to Article III of the Texas Constitution a new
Section 50-g allowing the legislature to autho-
rize by law the issuance of up to $1 billion in
general obligation bonds of the state to pay
costs of maintenance, improvement, repair or
construction projects authorized by the legisla-
ture and to purchase needed equipment. The
proposed amendment provides that the proceeds
of the bonds may be used only for: (1) mainte-
nance, improvement, repair or construction pro-
jects that the legislature authorizes by general
law or the General Appropriations Act; or (2)
purchasing needed equipment, as authorized by
law or the General Appropriations Act. The
proposed amendment also provides that the pro-
jects or purchases must be administered by or
on the behalf of one or more of the following
state agencies: the Texas Building and
Procurement Commission; the Parks and
Wildlife Department; the adjutant general’s
department; the Department of State Health
Services; the Department of Aging and
Disability Services; the Texas School for the
Blind and Visually Impaired; the Texas Youth
Commission; the Texas Historical Commission;
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; the
Texas School for the Deaf; or the Department of
Public Safety of the State of Texas.
If the proposed amendment is approved by
the voters, Senate Bill No. 2033 will take effect.
Senate Bill No. 2033 authorizes issuance of the
bonds. Also, if the proposed amendment is
approved by the voters, Section 19.71 of the
General Appropriations Act for the 2008-2009
state fiscal biennium provides for the appropria-
tion of $717,303,391 from the bond proceeds
for projects of state agencies identified in
Section 50-g(b), Article III, Texas Constitution,
as added by the amendment, including $273.4
million to the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice for prison construction, repair and reha-
bilitation and $200 million to the Department of
Public Safety for various purposes. Also contin-
gent on approval of the proposed amendment by
the voters, the General Appropriations Act
appropriates $56,742,868 out of general revenue
for debt service payments for the bonds.
YOCR LETTERS
Send letters to Cedar Hill
today, c/o News Editor Steve
Smder. 1701 N Hampton, Suite
C. DeSoto. TX, 75115, or PO
Box 381029, Duncanville TX
75138 Fax letters-to 972-298-
6369 or e-mail them to
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reserves the right to accept or
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Cedar Hill Today Information
Cedar Hill Today Staff
Robin Gooch
Publisher and Managing Editor
Rim Petty
Advertising Director
Steve Snyder
News Editor
Brian Allen
Staff Writer
Chris Hndson and David Goodspeed
Photographers
Wendy Lee
Retail ad sales
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TPT
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Distribution Coordinator
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Lifestyles Editor
Deadlines
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city, $34 per year elsewhere in Texas AD
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refundabie The publisher reserves the right
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rates at any time
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Today Cedar Hill is an independent
newspaper published weekly in the interest
of Cedar Hill. Any erroneous reflection
upon the integrity or reputation of any indi-
vidual will be corrected if brought to the
attention of the news editor
Digests run on a space available basis
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i.in open thrum ftr ill noipninR
letters to the editor and guest columns are
encouraged
Daadhai
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PO Bor 381029, DmoarviDe, TX 75138
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columns, is available at the above location
Call 972-298-4211 for further information
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Loattm:___
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Phone: 972-298-4211
9tn.vrvtm*nm
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Gooch, Robin. Today Cedar Hill (DeSoto, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 22, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 13, 2007, newspaper, September 13, 2007; DeSoto, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth568720/m1/4/?rotate=0: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Zula B. Wylie Memorial Library.