An attempt to fund tuition grants for low-income students fell short Wednesday at the Illinois Capitol.
Republican Governor Bruce last month vetoed the funding measure, because he says it would have added to the state deficit.
The Senate voted Weddnesday to restore the legislation.
Democratic Senator Donne Trotter of Chicago says the state promised college students this money.
"If you read some of those 15,000 petitions that we brought down here and handed to the governor, you'd know this is what the people want."
But hours later ... the attempt to override Rauner's veto failed in the House by two votes. GOP Representative Dan Brady of Bloomington - whose district includes Illinois State University - voted no.
"I can't think of anything that is more of a cruel hoax on the students across the state depending on MAP funding than proposing something that doesn't have the money to pay for it."
Republicans stuck together and voted against it.
So did one Democrat ... Rep. Scott Drury of Highwood ... who says the measure was about politics, and won't actually help. Another Democrat was absent.
The legislation would have given the governor the authority to pay more than 700 million dollars in funding for Monetary Award Program grants and for community colleges.
Universities and colleges haven't received state money since the fiscal year began without a state budget last July.
Republicans say they have a better plan - which includes a way to pay for the higher education spending. Unlike Democrats' version, it also sends dollars to four-year universities.
But Democrats - who control the General Assembly - have kept the G-O-P plan bottled up.
Each side accuses the other of playing politics.
