AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ A key Senate committee has approved spending almost $11 billion in federal stimulus funds in the next state budget.
Still a long way from becoming law, using the federal money would enable lawmakers to close a multibillion dollar gap between the amount of state revenue available and spending needs for the 2010-2011 budget period.
The largest chunks of the money will be spent on education and health care. But federal stimulus money also is slated to help pay for meals for the elderly, energy conservation and school lunch equipment.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a Republican, touted a job re-training program in the plan that would use $400 million of the stimulus money, including almost $200 million in child care and development grants.
The budget-writing Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote on the full, two-year budget next week. Dewhurst, who has criticized the stimulus law for creating too much national debt, says the full Senate will take up the budget early next month.
Republican Sen. Steve Ogden, chairman of the committee, says that with approval of the stimulus spending, they’ve got a bill that will balance and doesn’t require them to use the Rainy Day Fund to pass it.