Texas Republicans Attempt to Hijack CPS Reform with Racist Amendment Backfires
Sparks flew Wednesday at the state Capitol after a Republican lawmaker tried to score political points by attaching an anti-immigrant amendment to a major bill aimed at reforming the state’s failing child welfare system.
The controversy erupted while members were considering 12 amendments to House Bill 4, which would increase support payments to relatives who take in abused or neglected children. The amendment, by Representative Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, sought to prevent those payments from going to undocumented family members.
Republicans and Democrats, who have made reforming Child Protective Services (CPS) a priority this session, immediately pushed back against Keough’s amendment. Legislators called the proposal “racist,” detrimental to abused kids and “un-Christian.” Keough is a pastor at The Woodlands Bible Church who has claimed his election to the House was “divine appointment.”
“I am pretty heartbroken to be part of this today,” said Representative Byron Cook, R-Corsicana. “We came here to take care of children. I feel like crying. I really do.”
Read more: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-republican-wants-cry-gop-colleagues-attempt-hijack-cps-reform-immigration-amendment/