Texas Schoolchildren One Step Closer in Receiving $830 Million
“Schoolchildren and teachers will finally have the opportunity to receive the $830 million they should have never been denied.”

Washington, D.C. – A provision that prohibited the state of Texas, and Texas alone, from receiving education funding is one step closer to being repealed. Today the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1473 that will fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year. Included in the legislation was a provision that would repeal the language Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-25) inserted into H.R. 1586 that singled out Texas from receiving education funding that every other state received.

“Today is a great day for the education system in Texas,” said Dr. Burgess. “Schoolchildren and teachers will finally have the opportunity to receive the $830 million they should have never been denied. At a time when school budgets are hurting this funding is overdue.”

Last August Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-25) included an amendment in the Education Jobs Fund bill, H.R. 1586, that required the state of Texas, during the fiscal years 2011 to 2013 to maintain state support for elementary and secondary education at a level is that equal to or greater than the percentage provided for fiscal year 2011. That provision placed requirements on Texas beyond what all other states were required to make in order to qualify for funding and violated the Texas Constitution.

“For months I’ve been working with Senator Hutchison to repeal this language and get this funding to Texas,” said Dr. Burgess. “The Texas education system was unfortunately used as a pawn and Rep. Doggett should have never prevented our children and teachers from receiving this funding. Now that this legislation has passed the House, Texas is one step closer to receiving funding they should have never had to jump through hoops to get.”

H.R. 1473 passed the House with a vote of 260 to 167. It will now move to the Senate for immediate consideration.

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