(AP) -- The Texas Senate has voted to spend nearly $4 billion from the state's Rainy Day Fund to cover gaps in the current state budget.

Spending money from the state's savings account has been one of the most controversial issues of the session. An earlier deal struck between lawmakers and Gov. Rick Perry would spend about $3.2 billion for the current budget.

The Senate moved to add the extra money late last week. The idea behind spending the extra $800 million is to free up that amount of money in the spending plan lawmakers are writing for the next two years.

Democrats tried Monday to get the Senate to spend an additional $3 billion, but those efforts were rejected by the Senate's Republican majority.

Spending money from the state's savings account has been one of the most controversial issues of the session. An earlier deal struck between lawmakers and Gov. Rick Perry would spend about $3.2 billion for the current budget.

The Senate moved to add the extra money late last week. The idea behind spending the extra $800 million is to free up that amount of money in the spending plan lawmakers are writing for the next two years.

Democrats tried Monday to get the Senate to spend an additional $3 billion, but those efforts were rejected by the Senate's Republican majority.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)