WASHINGTON — Representing the state that is home to the most Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the country, U.S Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., introduced bipartisan legislation to improve federal funding opportunities for those schools.
Britt teamed up with Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., on the HBCU Research Capacity Act, which would create a clearinghouse of all available federal funding opportunities for HBCUs.
Across the nation, HBCUs receive less than 1% of the $60 billion of federal research and development funding. Yet, the universities enroll 8.5% of Black undergraduate students and produce nearly 18% of all Black STEM graduates in the United States.
A lack of research dollars can lead to barriers in creating further research capacity and limiting grant access and resources for scholars, according to the bill.
Alabama has 14 HBCUs, including Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University and Tuskegee University.
“As a former trustee to one of Alabama’s 14 HBCUs, I’ve seen firsthand how impactful these institutions are – I am a fierce advocate for their funding, not only in Alabama, but also nationwide,” Britt said in a statement. “I’m proud to co-lead this commonsense legislation with Sen. Warnock, which will help these institutions grow their research capacity and continue paving the way for generations of students.”
The bill would also establish a website to list all the available grant opportunities for the universities. The website would include information on the best practices for building research capacity, including guidance from federal, state and local organizations.
Under the HBCU Research Capacity Act, the education secretary would be required to assign workers to administer the clearinghouse and to send an annual report to Congress about the initiative.
By connecting historically Black colleges and universities with federal research opportunities, the HBCU Research Capacity Act is a major step toward ensuring HBCUs serve as catalysts for expanding America’s portfolio of top-tier research institutions and advancing our nation’s global competitiveness, Dr. Harry L. Williams, Thurgood Marshall College Fund president and CEO, said in a statement.
To introduce the bill, Britt and Warnock hosted a roundtable on Capitol Hill with HBCU leaders, including some from Alabama, to discuss the need to expand federal funding for the universities.