History Repeating Itself: Obstructing Federal Rescue for Texas Schools

***Press Release***

History Repeating Itself: Obstructing Federal Rescue for Texas Schools

Washington, D.C. – Today, Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of both the House Budget and Ways & Means Committees, urged Texans to demand that Governor Abbott make available all federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) to help our schools reopen safely and students to recover from learning losses. Governor Abbott's diversion and delay in getting funds to our schools is a bad sequel to Governor Rick Perry diverting federal funds intended for schools into the state's coffers, with the assistance of then-Attorney General Abbott. At that time, Rep. Doggett successfully offered an amendment to single out Texas leaders for their bad faith and prohibit this misconduct—but, in a subsequent congressional takeover, this provision was repealed by Republicans. Rep. Doggett is working now to ensure history does not repeat itself in denying federal resources to Texas schools.

"Federal relief dollars marked for Texas schools have languished while the Governor has refused to access them, as educators scrape their budgets together and school children make do with what they have," said Congressman Doggett. "Our always-underfunded Texas schools and school children have suffered greatly from the pandemic—and now the Governor is making matters worse. Our local schools need relief to open safely and help the many students who have fallen behind, but they haven't seen a dime of the over $19 billion Congress has already approved for Texas schools. These are federal resources that school trustees could use to meet mental health challenges with the increase of youth suicide, tutoring and remedial assistance, closing the digital divide, improving ventilation and a host of other locally determined needs."

"Governor Abbott is one of only two Governors to have denied our schools 100% of the initial $1.2 billion in CARES Act ESSER funds," he continued. "Now, he is attempting to divert another $5.5 billion of COVID relief approved in December, as indicated in his February 22 maintenance of effort waiver letter. Federal pandemic relief is intended to supplement resources for our schools, not simply to enrich the State coffers. This obstruction is particularly egregious in view of the billions of federal assistance separately provided for State use. We must overcome the phony excuses. Stop the swap of state funds for federal funds—stop the swap of education dollars for noneducational use."

"The Governor has yet to obtain either $5.5 billion available for Texas schools since January 6 or another $12.4 billion from the American Rescue plan, two thirds of which was made available March 24," said Rep. Doggett. "While many other states are already distributing federal educational relief to their schools, Governor Abbott is waiting for the Legislature to leave town before ultimately attempting to deny federal education dollars to our schools."

Examples of estimated federal educational funds provided by the House Appropriations Committee currently being denied to school districts across Texas:

Rep. Doggett continued, "Local school trustees across Texas should be permitted to decide how best to meet the immense needs of children in their area. Only if more Texans join the efforts by school leaders like Dallas and San Antonio trustees and public advocacy groups can our schools get these much needed funds now—not after Governor Abbott tries to take away as much federal aid as possible. Stronger requirements in the December omnibus COVID relief deal and American Rescue Plan offer protection for getting $17.5 billion to our schools, but they cannot yet prevent his totally unjustified delay."

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