[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6345296,"mediaKeyId","2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc","parentId",2249337,"title","A&M research and training agencies pitch workforce investments and emergency preparedness funding","audioSeconds",1572,"startMs",9860000,"endMs",11432000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc&start=9860&end=11432","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc/thumbnail_9860000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6345296/Texas/AM-research-and-training-agencies-pitch-workforce-investments-and-emergency-preparedness-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345296-59566ca43408046d4bb91da614ebfc47/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485661&Signature=WpLOCrQMBw9H0iDBFxX0rErSDF8mdVqRN1SPyvWAjxw4cEaxOkBCuouizEmlthdEJN6vqVu6XprZM13r~SCU2J~PFJ7pauk7upjD9qRpjFN74UkSLdABC4Nen6NHOGbgzsFMb~Diz5UE70~tnPHYYFOOcdK5hVca98hU9rN8DYJ0LQQSq3xpivFoHwoRTQYWcHeT2fyDEF5JwuoLfhUsYHSyRIiIn7oi9DO4DpjtF5OW2ceZ8tsXokcGa~vHKWFPWkwvuEhsJ-vL5wCyUjpXf3JEG9D6o4k1Cc3wsMd2ITNCuTIr0JGncM4HQJGvpBBw6rNCWuFTrHFH3crpigMlcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas Senate Session","date","2025-02-07T00:00:00Z","article","Several Texas A&M system agencies and affiliated programs presented funding requests and program updates to the Senate Finance Committee, emphasizing workforce development, disaster readiness and laboratory staffing needs.

Cliff Lam, director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, asked the committee for $26,000,000 over the biennium for an “intelligent agricultural systems” initiative. Lam said intelligent equipment, predictive analytics and staffing will improve farm productivity and help Texas producers adapt to shifting global demand. He gave an example of a pilot where predictive models allowed early cotton harvest and materially impacted farm revenue.

Rick Avery, director of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, told senators extension serves Texan communities through 250 offices and operates a disaster assessment and recovery (DAR) unit. He thanked the committee for funding under Keeping Texas Prepared and asked for $19,700,000 in the biennium to expand the DARR unit, hire additional subject matter specialists and support county‑level monitoring and outreach. Avery said extension’s DAR teams completed more than 2,000 damage assessments in 2024 and that extension also supports youth programs that reach hundreds of thousands of children.

David Coatney, TEEX agent director, outlined workforce and preparedness proposals including $8,000,000 to expand workforce training in cybersecurity, robotics and manufacturing (noting new training sites in the Rio Grande Valley and Corpus Christi), $9,000,000 to scale Keeping Texas Prepared community cybersecurity and exercises, and $17,000,000 one‑time to expand Disaster City and simulate indoor/subterranean rescues.

Dr. J. R. Swinford of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) described how TVMDL drove the state’s response to a 2024 animal health emergency, identifying highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in unexpected species and emphasizing the lab’s role in surveillance and zoonotic risk mitigation. TVMDL asked for additional funds to retain and recruit veterinary and molecular diagnostics personnel, citing a retirement eligibility rate of roughly 20% in professional staff and a growing national market premium for veterinary specialists.

Nut graf: The A&M agencies combined message to the committee linked workforce pipelines, disaster readiness and lab capacity: extension and TEEX sought continued and expanded Keeping Texas Prepared support to staff regional warehouses, training and community resilience; AgriLife Research asked for investments to modernize production with predictive tools; and TVMDL warned that recruitment and salary gaps threaten the state’s diagnostic capacity.

Ending: Agency leaders said they would follow up with the committee on details and thanked senators for past supplemental funding, noting that the proposed investments are meant to reduce long‑term state costs by improving local capacity and preventing deobligations of federal funds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Finance February 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A cluster of Texas A&M research and training agencies asked the Senate Finance Committee for money to expand disaster response capacity, modernize agriculture with predictive systems, scale workforce training and shore up veterinary diagnostic staffing.","taxTitle","Senate, Legislative, Texas","taxId",16215,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345302,"Chancellor John Sharp urges formula, HEAF and capital funding; highlights RELLIS energy proving ground",2078,2300000,4378000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc&start=2300&end=4378","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc/thumbnail_2300000.jpg","/articles/6345302/Texas/Chancellor-John-Sharp-urges-formula-HEAF-and-capital-funding-highlights-RELLIS-energy-proving-ground","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345302-76a1248eda58f9939b14df430793abbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485661&Signature=i3INxMHTvhJnaAyqsL1tdaDuzY5SKO8FxlU5-mMaRsvSFtGYmpWBriBk~Mf1EgWTim2RgwfvpjSDjFpGFjj8hmzvBVwPkTtCLiZKYBbcvZ9EqRoiCr4RjPoyN--kpZhxf8HCrjWWlculNDChDPOBI-a6vfjSGRn6hsN6PtqlLsDsgt0jRPYduCheeroWjy4P8yoY~0yJ8e0UgaY5WjEPpIHwIY5-cvEwehFmIbCDy0Mapo1xBlzSUTf~UD-LC9u7lYQayiT08fPbg8QRBQSmD9H4IEy3FQ-JiOY6J98SdgPdQYNfWGRdM~5EGGl5qhkORrzyg4J7jVcxuq5XGJhl3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, used his appearance before the Senate Finance Committee to press for increased formula funding, restorations to institutional enhancement, and expanded HEAF capital support while laying out system priorities including RELLIS campus expansion, regional airport runway replacement and a proposed energy proving ground.

Sharp told senators the system now educates about 165,000 students and that research expenditures have doubled since 2012. He asked lawmakers to support the coordinating board’s formula recommendations, additional Higher Education Assistance Fund appropriations to address deferred maintenance and construction cost inflation, and a balanced allocation methodology that serves large fast‑growing institutions and smaller universities alike.

Nut graf: Sharp highlighted several system‑level capital and strategic initiatives — advocating for funding to address deferred maintenance and campus infrastructure, asking for support for the RELLIS research and test campus, and requesting runway replacement funding for Easterwood Airport, which he said has a runway built in 1941 with a remaining useful life of roughly 5–10 years. He also outlined an energy proving ground at RELLIS that would host multiple energy technologies including small modular reactors (SMRs) for research, workforce development and commercialization.

Sharp described the RELLIS campus as a research and innovation hub supporting defense, semiconductor and energy work and said Texas A&M is working with industry partners on demonstration projects and workforce training tied to new energy technologies. He said the system’s regional airport, Easterwood, has been used for hurricane response and that runway replacement is a state‑level infrastructure need; he noted the runway is not eligible for some constitutional bond programs and suggested mixed state, federal and institutional funding.

Sharp also emphasized the role of the system’s A&M agencies in statewide emergency response and research, and urged sustained support for agency operations, research funding and capital projects. He closed by thanking the Legislature for prior investments and reiterating that state funding for higher education is a long‑term investment in Texas’ workforce and communities.

Ending: Sharp said the system stands ready to work with the Legislature on fund allocation methodologies and on specific capital proposals and asked senators to treat HEAF and formula funding increases as priorities in the upcoming budget.","Chancellor John Sharp told the Senate Finance Committee the Texas A&M University System seeks continued formula support, HEAF increases and funding for system agencies; he highlighted RELLIS campus growth, Easterwood runway needs, and an energy proving ground proposal that includes small modular reactor demonstration projects.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345308,"TDEM asks for regional warehouses, staff and expanded program authority as federal grants wind down",399,6908000,7307000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc&start=6908&end=7307","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc/thumbnail_6908000.jpg","/articles/6345308/Texas/TDEM-asks-for-regional-warehouses-staff-and-expanded-program-authority-as-federal-grants-wind-down","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345308-3e8b42fb3024b70e74c328f648a3f5ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485661&Signature=P3j8jxsdXgT8x41rLG3~b4P2oxOMKeGX6KzNcZIZvQUN8BPUkeycYZMc-VkKDBXP10Q7CxW32rU5demGQ3ug94xsgRW5au19~x9X4GQw~KcIzY7r7uTZ5fZp9AknH51Gw78Im64p3gDVU-sAB1SlN32IV6CmMvUMh3d4x0r99~LKPDhvrfP8FtzwPwifvAIAHnJ1YJc63uzG3SFWER2Cc40XzQMUB2q94DaDm09Q6ocL1u-o59lvls4Edwib4Qx8YyTAzWIF3z2vgIsAhliHDerEaIjXoYUHN-3VH~rFYd99g9KZQf~C9zNdVbqOdePHTQga9GRJkxuzkbkMBmhihA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told the Senate Finance Committee that the agency manages an extraordinary volume of federal disaster funding and asked the Legislature for capital and operating support to modernize Texas’ emergency response infrastructure.

“Our job at the Division of Emergency Management is to make sure that we are prepared for, respond to, recover well and mitigate against all hazards of all disasters,” Kidd said, laying out TDEM’s case for expanded regional staging sites, ongoing staff and fleet support and continued funding to close out open federal grants.

Nut graf: TDEM reported roughly $23.7 billion in open federal grants and said the agency will face a 10% reduction in Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding from FEMA unless the federal picture changes. To improve preparedness and response the agency asked for a $315,000,000 exceptional item to expand regional warehouses and staging areas, plus requests for fleet and back‑office staff funding and a rider to allow carryforward of certain COVID‑related balances.

Kidd told senators the agency is managing tens of billions of dollars in public assistance and hazard mitigation projects — public assistance totals listed in the presentation topped $21 billion in project value — and that drawdowns and closeouts are sensitive to federal rules. He warned that FEMA reimbursement timing and grant formula shifts are already trimming TDEM’s historic preparedness grants and could require the state to provide more sustainment capacity locally.

TDEM’s specific asks before the committee included capital and operating support for regional warehouses: climate‑controlled facilities with pallet racking, on‑site office and sleeping space for responders and the ability to stage vehicles and equipment. Kidd said those sites would reduce hotel and urgent response basecamp costs and improve surge logistics. He also asked the Legislature to fund IT systems and back‑office capacity to coordinate assets nationwide and to biannualize statewide salary adjustments and to address fleet needs the agency says have been underfunded in previous sessions.

Kidd emphasized that most of TDEM’s budget — roughly 97% of some line items — is pass‑through for local governments and sub‑applicants and that additional state investment is aimed primarily at improving statewide capacity to receive and distribute aid, maintain inventories of critical supplies such as PPE, and to reduce the risk that federal funds will be deobligated because of long closeout timelines.

Ending: Kidd thanked the committee for earlier supplemental funding that established regional warehousing pilots and said TDEM will provide requested reports on lapsed federal funds and carryforward balances to assist the Legislature’s review.","Tim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told the Senate Finance Committee TDEM manages roughly $23.7 billion in open federal grants, is facing reductions in recurring FEMA preparedness funds and asked for $315 million to expand regional staging and warehouse capacity plus additional staff and fleet funding.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345313,"Texas Southern president seeks $120M law-school project, $7.5M aviation fleet in Senate finance hearing",1049,110000,1159000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc&start=110&end=1159","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249337-c489e5e2d789caee58246fce699251bc/thumbnail_110000.jpg","/articles/6345313/Texas/Texas-Southern-president-seeks-120M-law-school-project-75M-aviation-fleet-in-Senate-finance-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345313-6a67b336e3264b4066c35d7f4cc7906b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485661&Signature=KM8rlzkGZfieRNLqEV~Rst5NTdysyH-q-mqjtgJ3~rS8W~o9KyQbS2o3rTQkD1wmpj4aH~in2ozL2ircYvOMIK6Py6vXuiHKIyJQC~HmmI6RkwPyuRQoH4X8ssLDRrGUIMjKDhaKVEwPkkmin4fB5wTCChUUR5s-V85-R2g0ZPZVC-ku9gQ9M55Gz-pybUxLJduiHHpcbpXK4jGiWRoh7bnQA0bCPduBvKNML-Hge27f39PYpoRALvfm~iDIugWrfFtLYssfy8QAmFvvOpDl4isSxUL1p0O2QYayj5WMsNb5j2NiDRlO9c2V~QWBjfkURs70VqXwshVndN7T28SHSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","President James Crawford told the Senate Finance Committee that Texas Southern University is asking the Legislature for one‑time capital support to address an urgent law‑school facility shortfall and separate funding to modernize its aviation program.

Crawford, who told senators “I come before you today to discuss the Texas Southern University appropriations request for this biennium cycle,” asked lawmakers to consider a $120,000,000 capital project — presented as debt issuance but, he said, appropriate for a one‑time appropriation — to replace or substantially rebuild the Thurgood Marshall School of Law facility. He told the committee that an American Bar Association review had identified the current law building as not meeting accreditation standards and cited mold and flooding problems.

The appeal followed a report Crawford said the university commissioned showing the law school’s 10‑year average enrollment at about 550 students and a feasibility study that estimates growth to 650 students if facilities are upgraded. Crawford offered several accountability measures he said the university would accept if the Legislature approved a significant appropriation, including quarterly reporting and project management support from the Texas Facilities Commission.

Nut graf: The request comes as Crawford highlighted student success improvements — including a nine‑percentage‑point rise in first‑time freshman fall‑to‑fall persistence — and expanding research grants, but he told the committee aging facilities and deferred maintenance are limiting program growth and accreditation compliance. He specifically asked the committee to treat the law facility need as exigent, recommending a one‑time appropriation and oversight provisions.

On aviation, Crawford said Texas Southern’s aviation program at Ellington Field now operates 10 aging aircraft — “40 years old” — and he asked senators for $7,500,000 to replace the fleet to support program growth and industry alignment. He said the program has 10 aircraft today and needs a 12‑aircraft fleet with modern avionics, and that the university secured a $5,000,000 local commitment for a hangar. Crawford said the university plans to include maintenance coverage for the first five years in the acquisition plan.

Crawford also described the Tiger Promise, a packaged financial aid initiative launched in December to assist Texas residents with mandatory fees and tuition using existing campus resources; he noted the program aimed to strengthen completion rates and that about 800 students earned “Tiger Stripes” in 2024 for academic achievement.

Campus security and cybersecurity were another appropriations theme. Crawford said the loss of institutional enhancement funding reduced Texas Southern’s campus security and cybersecurity investments and put $13.7 million of services at risk; he asked the committee to consider restoration or replacement funding that aligns with the university’s stewardship standards.

Ending: Crawford concluded by offering to provide written details about health and safety issues in the law school and feasibility‑study materials, and he said the university would work with the committee on accountability measures if one‑time capital assistance were approved.","President James Crawford told the Senate Finance Committee that Texas Southern needs major one‑time funding for a new Thurgood Marshall School of Law facility, and requested $7.5 million for aviation fleet replacement and $125,000 for the Tiger Promise aid program amid rising persistence and research gains.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

A&M research and training agencies pitch workforce investments and emergency preparedness funding

Chancellor John Sharp urges formula, HEAF and capital funding; highlights RELLIS energy proving ground

TDEM asks for regional warehouses, staff and expanded program authority as federal grants wind down

Texas Southern president seeks $120M law-school project, $7.5M aviation fleet in Senate finance hearing