Meghan,

 

The difficulty you have experienced is understandable.  Our Texas “Save Our Schools” provision was included as a part of the original text of a Supplemental Appropriations bill approved by the House on July 1, 2010, at the request of the Texas Democratic Congressional Delegation.   Though he engaged in floor debate on the provision, it was not necessary for Congressman Doggett to offer it as a separate floor amendment to this legislation, since we had already been successful in having it included in the original bill. Thereafter, the Senate on July 29, 2010, took the entire text of the House-approved education provision from this Supplemental Appropriations bill and substituted it for entire text of H.R. 1586, an unrelated aviation bill previously approved by the House.

 

 Our delegation offered this provision because, as Gail Collins correctly reported, “Perry used $3.2 billion in stimulus dollars for schools to plug other holes in his budget.” As we have discussed, he did this by replacing $3.2 billion in state support for education with the $3.2 billion in federal education funds (as shown on the budget document we sent you yesterday).  This was a gigantic shell game that used federal money to free state money for other budget purposes, while providing no additional benefit to Texas schools.

 

Sarah