Texas’ congressional delegation has been scolded by a gang of top-level Texas higher education officials — representing private and public schools across the state.

Our congressmen and women need to get their knuckles rapped.

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/12/03/texas-higher-ed-leaders-share-sequestration-concer/

Sequestration has educators concerned. They fear the mandatory budget cuts enacted by Congress and signed by President Obama will bring potentially irreparable damage to the state’s higher education network.

“Further reductions to the budgets of research agencies and other federal programs threaten critical national investments that grow our state’s economy, support Texas students, and spur the innovation and discovery required to meet future scientific, medical and economic needs,” the group wrote.

The full roster of signatures, by the way, does not include Texas Tech University Chancellor Kent Hance — a former member of Congress. The list, though, does include Texas Tech President Duane Nellis, who presumably had Hance’s blessing before putting his name on the letter.

I hope the letter and the concerns it expresses about higher education and research doesn’t fall on deaf ears in Washington. Listen up, Rep. Mac Thornberry; they’re talking to you, too.

However, as is too often the case, lawmakers from both parties listen a bit too intently to the fringe base elements within their party and fail to heed warnings from the unwashed masses out here in the heartland.

Sequestration, let’s remember, involve the mandatory budget cuts that kicked in at the beginning of the year. They were supposed to be last-resort measure that was enacted because lawmakers and the president didn’t believe Congress would allow the sequestration to occur. Silly them. They did allow it.

According to the Texas Tribune, “the group warned that sequestration cuts will stifle innovation, resulting in a reduction in gross domestic product, and that students — more than 850,000 are enrolled at Texas universities — will also suffer.”

Our elected leaders keep talking about ensuring a brighter future for their states and the nation. Is this the way to do it, by cutting the guts out of higher education? I think not.