House Administration Budget Measures Angers Texas GOP

Texas Republicans are outraged after the Texas House Administration Committee approved several budget measures this week, including funding increases for Democratic vice chairs. Texas Republicans are now condemning the budget measures, claiming they contradict earlier promises from House leadership.

Among the most vocal critics is Tarrant Republican Party Chair Bo French (R), who condemned the decision in a statement on social media.

“The Democrat ‘Vice Chairs’ now have an additional $5k per month of your tax dollars. Remember when they said there weren’t going to be Democrat Chairs anymore? This is the definition of duplicity and corruption. Clearly, they don’t understand the reckoning that is coming,” Chair French wrote on X.

The move has also drawn criticism from Texas Rep. J.M. Lozano (R), who took to social media while attending an Appropriations Committee hearing to denounce what he sees as a misuse of state funds.

“We just had a breakdown of the projected budget. Community Colleges, Trade/Technical/Career programs, and Universities in Texas are being cut $500 million. We need a trained workforce. And then I read that another House Committee just committed us to spend millions of dollars without a vote on the House Floor to increase legislators’ budgets?” state Rep. Lozano shared on X.

“I am opposed to any increase in my budget. What is the point of the Appropriations Committee then if it can be sidestepped? This is no doubt unprecedented and UNCONSTITUTIONAL,” he continued.

The controversy over the committee’s spending decisions comes amid growing Republican frustration with Texas House leadership, particularly House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R). Many in the Texas GOP have been critical of the committee assignments, arguing that placing Democrats in vice chair roles empowers Democrats and contradicts previous assurances that Republicans would maintain control over committee leadership.

Because of this, Texas Republicans have signaled that they will push back against what they see as wasteful spending and unilateral decisions by House leadership.