Plumbing 
Congressman Tony Gonzales, who represents District 23 which includes Uvalde, tours South San High School to discuss federal funding efforts to improve services such astutoring, after-school programs, college prep, nutrition, and mental health support.
Four schools in District 23 are receiving more than $1.2 million in federal funding for school safety, with about half that total allocated to Uvalde and Rocksprings schools, according to Congressman Tony Gonzales.
Beneficiaries of the funds, part of the School Violence Prevention program, include the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, set to receive $442,400; Rocksprings Independent School District, $199,922; San Antonio Independent School District, $494,304; and Tornillo Independent School District, $100,800.
Funding may be used for future purchases or projects to prevent school violence, including providing training to school personnel and students, implementing evidence-based threat assessments, and funding research and evaluation on the causes and consequences of school violence.
This money cannot be used to offset costs for previously implemented measures, as per the grant requirements, reimbursements of items purchased, expenses incurred, or individuals hired prior to the award date will not be funded.
“You know, there’s so many nonprofits and faith-based organizations that have really risen to the occasion in Uvalde, and I’m grateful for them. But also, from a federal standpoint, we have an obligation to make sure that our kids are safe. And part of that is not just passing bills and giving high fives and pats on the back, but actually rolling up our sleeves and bringing the dollars back home,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales made the announcement Oct. 17, stating $1,237,426 had been allocated by the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services for several school districts across the district.
“I think it’s a start. It’s certainly not mission accomplished. But it is a start in the right direction. And I’m very pleased, very excited about it.”
“I am so excited and just grateful that our district – and Uvalde in particular – was able to land this grant,” Gonzales said, adding that his team helped the school districts to apply for the grant.
According to congressional staff, this is the first DOJ grant UCISD has received since at least 2008.
The federal funding allocation was made as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Congressman Gonzales voted in favor of, which was signed into law on June 25, 2022.
“Remember, no piece of legislation like this had been passed in like three decades. So it was extremely difficult to pass, and I’d argue it is even more difficult to bring those dollars home. Because a lot of times money gets stuck in Washington D.C., or they go other places to the big cities. So we have fought really hard,” Gonzales said.
Portions of the federal act provided $2 billion for community-based violence prevention, $11 billion for mental health services, and expanded background checks for those under the age of 21 who purchase firearms and prevents those convicted of domestic violence crimes from purchasing firearms for a five-year period.
jkeeble@ulnnow.com, 830-278-3335
