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WASHINGTON – None of them voted in support of President Barack Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus package.
But today, nine Republican House members from Florida joined with nine Democratic House members from the state (there are 25 Florida House members, altogether) in writing to the U.S. Education Secretary for a waiver so that the state may qualify for the $2.7 billion in a key funding category of the bill.
The letter was authored by freshman Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, a Democrat from New Smyrna Beach. Other Democrats signing the letter were Ron Klein, Alcee Hastings, Robert Wexler, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kathy Castor, Kendrick Meek, Alan Grayson and Corrine Brown.
The Republicans who signed the letter were listed as Adam Putnam, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Tom Rooney, Mario Diaz-Balart, Ginny Brown-Waite, Cliff Stearns, John Mica and Bill Posey.
Florida’s two senators, Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Mel Martinez, sent their own similar joint letter last week.
Right now, Florida does not technically meet the requirements to receive its share of a huge $54.4 billion pot of money in the $787 billion stimulus package signed into law by Obama this week to help cash-strapped states balance their budgets – mostly through added funding for education needs.
That’s because a state, to get the money, must be funding K-12 and higher education at no less than 2006 levels. States that are not would forfeit their share of the so-called “State Fiscal Stabilization Fund” money to other states.
Florida falls $600 million short on that count because it has 30,000 fewer students than in 2006, the biggest drop in public enrollment in the state’s history.
But in the letter to Secretary Arne Duncan today from the Florida House members, Duncan was asked to help the state out.
The economic stimulus package provides language gives the education secretary authority to waive this requirement in cases of “hardship.” And that’s what the lawmakers said Florida’s situation represents.
“This critical funding is vital to protecting our schools from budget cuts and teacher layoffs. Because Florida has been hit especially hard by a rise in foreclosures, unemployment, and recent natural disasters, we are experiencing a crippling budget crisis. Now more than ever, we must invest in our state’s future,” said the letter.
-- Billy House, Media General News Service
But today, nine Republican House members from Florida joined with nine Democratic House members from the state (there are 25 Florida House members, altogether) in writing to the U.S. Education Secretary for a waiver so that the state may qualify for the $2.7 billion in a key funding category of the bill.
The letter was authored by freshman Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, a Democrat from New Smyrna Beach. Other Democrats signing the letter were Ron Klein, Alcee Hastings, Robert Wexler, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kathy Castor, Kendrick Meek, Alan Grayson and Corrine Brown.
The Republicans who signed the letter were listed as Adam Putnam, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Tom Rooney, Mario Diaz-Balart, Ginny Brown-Waite, Cliff Stearns, John Mica and Bill Posey.
Florida’s two senators, Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Mel Martinez, sent their own similar joint letter last week.
Right now, Florida does not technically meet the requirements to receive its share of a huge $54.4 billion pot of money in the $787 billion stimulus package signed into law by Obama this week to help cash-strapped states balance their budgets – mostly through added funding for education needs.
That’s because a state, to get the money, must be funding K-12 and higher education at no less than 2006 levels. States that are not would forfeit their share of the so-called “State Fiscal Stabilization Fund” money to other states.
Florida falls $600 million short on that count because it has 30,000 fewer students than in 2006, the biggest drop in public enrollment in the state’s history.
But in the letter to Secretary Arne Duncan today from the Florida House members, Duncan was asked to help the state out.
The economic stimulus package provides language gives the education secretary authority to waive this requirement in cases of “hardship.” And that’s what the lawmakers said Florida’s situation represents.
“This critical funding is vital to protecting our schools from budget cuts and teacher layoffs. Because Florida has been hit especially hard by a rise in foreclosures, unemployment, and recent natural disasters, we are experiencing a crippling budget crisis. Now more than ever, we must invest in our state’s future,” said the letter.
-- Billy House, Media General News Service