Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett and a congressional majority added an unnecessary unfair & anti-Texas amendment to the Education Jobs Bill which directly led to the rejection of these funds.
Unless the Doggett amendment is repealed it appears nearly impossible for Texas school teachers to access these additional 
federal education dollars in 2010 if ever."
-- Gov. Rick Perry today commenting on legislation filed by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison & Congressman Michael Burgess to repeal the Doggett amendment language preventing Texas schools from receiving $830 million in federal funds.
The Doggett amendment part of the federal emergency education jobs bill (H.R. 1586) specifically penalizes Texas and no other state - by requiring the governor to make assurances that the Texas Legislature will make specific funding commitments which is a violation of the Texas Constitution. Said Perry The repeal legislation is welcome news to Texas hard working teachers and students who deserve the federal education dollars that Lloyd Doggett has prevented
Texas from receiving."
Education has been and will continue to be a priority in Texas where public education spending increased 82 percent between 2000-2009 and where legislators voted last year to increase formula funding to public schools by nearly $2 billion or $180 per student.
Perry has also sent a letter to several public education associations to relay the states various efforts to immediately access these federal education dollars for Texas schools including submitting an application for funding to the U.S. Department of Education which was recently rejected.
I will continue to work with the Department of Education to secure this money for Texas schools and as importantly please urge the Texas Congressional delegation to repeal this anti-Texas provision so that our teachers and schools can reap the benefits of these funds as soon as possible."
The governor also called on the associations to urge the federal government to support the states continued efforts to access this funding for Texas schools including repealing the Doggett amendment.
