Congressman Gonzalez and Texas Democratic Congressional Delegation Rejects Abbott Obstruction of Federal School Aid

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) joined his fellow Democratic members of the Texas congressional delegation in a request sent to the U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, seeking to overcome Governor Abbott's obstruction of federal education funds from reaching Texas schools.

They urge the Department of Education to ensure history does not repeat itself by strictly enforcing the maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements outlined in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSA) and the maintenance of effort and maintenance of equity provisions in the American Rescue Plan.

The lawmakers write: "We have worked to secure over $19 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for Texas schools to provide students the support needed to overcome multiple COVID-19 pandemic to challenges. These funds were intended to help schools address learning loss, meet mental health challenges with the increase of youth suicide, provide tutoring and remedial assistance, close the digital divide, improve ventilation and a host of other locally-determined needs. But due to bad faith denial and delay of these funds by Governor Abbott, not a single dollar of the already-approved ESSER funds have reached Texas schools."

"The Governor's resistance to supporting our schools is particularly egregious in view of the estimated $16.7 billion separately provided to Texas for general use through the American Rescue Plan," note the members of Congress. "This generous assistance more than makes up for any asserted state budgetary shortfall of less than one billion estimated previously by the Texas Comptroller…We cannot accomplish the important goal, which we share with the Administration, of reopening schools safely when the ten percent of America's school-aged children living in Texas are denied access to essential federal assistance."

Congressman Gonzalez had previously uplifted HEB CEO Charles Butt's letter to Governor Abbott urging for the state government to release these critical funds.

"The federal government allocated these relief funds to help our students, teachers and essential workers recover from the pandemic not for the state to fill budget shortfalls. These critical funds must be released as soon as possible before there is a noticeable impact on our students' futures," add Congressman Gonzalez.

You can read the full letter here.