As the sole HBCU graduate serving in the U.S. Senate, Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock worked with a member on the opposite side of the political aisle to present a bipartisan bill that will extend federal funding opportunities to HBCUs, AfroTech reports.
Warnock, a Morehouse College alum, and Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, home to the most HBCUs in the country — 14 to be exact — introduced the bipartisan HBCU Research Capacity Act to 30 of the country’s HBCU leaders and supporters.
As the Trump administration has worked tirelessly to eliminate funding for the schools, the purpose of the legislation would be to support the launch of a federally coordinated website containing information about STEM research and development funding opportunities eligible for the historic institutions, in addition to streamlining ”federal funding opportunities for HBCUs.”
Warnock knows a little bit about what funding can do for the schools. Throughout his career, the senator and pastor has secured over $265 million for Georgia’s 10 HBCUs as part of $17 billion in federal investments directed toward them. “Despite not always having every tool at their disposal, HBCUs continue to make massive contributions to the research and development community,” Warnock said, according to Spectrum News.
He touched on being “proud to work alongside another champion of HBCUs in (Alabama) Sen. Katie Britt,” saying it “will make securing federal dollars for their research efforts that much easier.” “I’ve seen firsthand how impactful these institutions are (and) I am a fierce advocate for their funding, not only in Alabama, but also nationwide,” Britt said.
“I’m proud to co-lead this commonsense legislation with Senator Warnock, which will help these institutions grow their research capacity and continue paving the way for generations of students.”
Data proves why legislation like this is so important. Compared to other institutions across the country, HBCUs receive under 1% of the $60 billion in federal research and development funding. However, the universities enroll 8.5% of Black undergraduate students and produce close to 18% of all Black STEM graduates in the U.S.
The bill highlights how a lack of research funding can create barriers to building research capacity and limit students’ access to grants and resources.
Under the act, the education secretary would be required to assign workers to administer the clearinghouse and to submit an annual report to Congress on the initiative.
Introducing the bill on March 24 during a roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill, Lodriguez Murray, senior vice president of public policy and government affairs for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), celebrated the initiative, releasing a statement that labeled it a great first step but highlighted the need for more like it.
“The UNCF applauds Senators Raphael Warnock (GA) and Katie Britt (AL) for introducing the HBCU Research Capacity Act. Creating a federal clearinghouse to assist HBCUs is a step toward improving access to research funding and breaking down long-standing barriers,” the statement read.
“At the same time, more must be done to ensure HBCUs—especially those that will never be R1 institutions, yet contribute immeasurably by supplying the prepared students necessary for other HBCUs to become R1S—are fully included in building research capacity. There is no doubt that this bill should be passed, but it can’t be where the work of modernizing the research capacity of HBCUs ends.”
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