The court had voted unanimously in a resolution to ask Sen. Hutchison to move $400,000 approved by Congress be moved from the Ramsar Center to the CVND help clear invasive vegetation out of the lake.

There's no doubt that vegetation – mostly in the form of water hyacinth – is chocking the lake. It is also true that not much is being done by anyone to solve this problem. We would think there are several state agencies, perhaps parks or wildlife, that should be taking action. Also, there are federal agencies that might rightly become involved. We would hope to see that.

But as Sen. Hutchison politely and so patiently explained in her civics lesson to the commissioners' court, one senator cannot properly change a bill that has been turned by the full Congress into law.