Representative Matt Garcia discusses the process of trying to pass bilingual education bills HB 147 and SB 121, highlighting specific challenges the bills faced. While being considered by the appropriations committees in the Texas House and Senate, the Senate bill lost its funding. This prompted lobbying attempts by Governor Dolph Briscoe and others to recover the removed appropriations. Additionally, congress members argued the bills solely benefited Mexican Americans rather than the entire Texas population and that Mexican Americans did not want bilingual education. Garcia also discusses the indirect power of the governor in influencing congressional committee actions, as well as the power of a committee chairman to have their bills considered more often than others.