The Goat Pen

"I do not think this Legislature ought to penalize people that are going on and being successful in maximizing their assets and getting a higher return and finding revenues that are not a tax base." - Rep. Dan Branch, House Committee on Higher Education, 2/23/11 re:The Longhorn Network

I certainly will do everything I can to make sure that people who take care of their institutions and raise them up and bring in more revenues and create value that somehow that wouldn't be a detriment as they go through the appropriations process." - Rep. Dan Branch, House Committee on Higher Education, 2/23/11 re:The Longhorn Network

"Ultimately, these are public institutions," Branch said. "The Legislature is responsible for funding and directing the ultimate policy of our public institutions.

"So I think it's important that the Legislature be advised. And so I want to create an opportunity on a timely basis to give the members of the House of Representatives the opportunity to ask questions and make sure they felt like this was in the best interest of the state of Texas.

"There's an argument that going to the SEC would be a good thing so that Texas' biggest schools would have a footprint in two major conferences, so I'm going into this with an open mind. But it seems to me it's the regents' responsibility to do what's in the best interest of Texas A&M as the flagship of that system. And it's the Legislature's responsibility to make sure it's in the best interest of the state of Texas."

Branch said there are really two points of interest that are critical to the state's view of a possible move by Texas A&M to the SEC.

"Part of that goes to you don't want another major conference coming undone by the action of one," Branch said. "So there's two parts to this. One, is this a good move for Texas A&M?

"And, more importantly, from our vantage point would there be a negative consequence to the University of Texas or Texas Tech University and even our private schools like Baylor - what effect it could have on them?"