HBCU PARTNERS Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1054 To strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of historically Black colleges and universities through robust public-sector, private-sector, and commu- nity partnerships and engagement, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 7, 2019 Ms. ADAMS (for herself, Mr. WALKER, Mr. HILL of Arkansas, and Ms. SE- WELL of Alabama) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Com- mittee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently deter- mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of historically Black colleges and universities through robust public- sector, private-sector, and community partnerships and engagement, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘HBCU Propelling 4 Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for 5 Students Act’’ or the ‘‘HBCU PARTNERS Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1054 IH SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 1 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 2 (1) As many colleges and universities across the 3 country kept their doors closed to African-American 4 applicants, historically Black colleges and univer- 5 sities (referred to in this section as ‘‘HBCUs’’) 6 played a central role in ensuring that African Ameri- 7 cans could attain an excellent education. 8 (2) Today, HBCUs continue to play a critical 9 role in ensuring that African Americans, and those 10 of all races, can access high-quality educational op- 11 portunities. 12 (3) HBCUs enroll nearly 300,000 students, an 13 estimated 70 percent of whom come from low-income 14 backgrounds and 80 percent of whom are African 15 American. 16 (4) According to the National Association For 17 Equal Opportunity In Higher Education, HBCUs 18 make up just 3 percent of American institutions of 19 higher education but graduate more than a fifth of 20 African-American college students. 21 (5) According to the Thurgood Marshall College 22 Fund (referred to in this section as ‘‘TMCF’’), ap- 23 proximately 9 percent of all African-American col- 24 lege students attend HBCUs. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1054 IH (6) A March 2017 report from the Education 1 Trust concluded that HBCUs have higher comple- 2 tion rates for African-American students than other 3 institutions serving similar student populations. 4 (7) In 2014, HBCUs generated a total direct 5 economic impact of $14,800,000,000 and created 6 more than 134,000 jobs, according to a study com- 7 missioned by the United Negro College Fund (re- 8 ferred to in this section as ‘‘UNCF’’). 9 (8) According to TMCF, 40 percent of African- 10 American Members of Congress and 80 percent of 11 African-American judges are graduates of HBCUs. 12 (9) According to UNCF, in 2013, HBCUs 13 awarded a quarter of all science, technology, engi- 14 neering, and mathematics bachelor’s degrees award- 15 ed to African Americans. 16 (10) According to UNCF, African-American 17 graduates of HBCUs are almost twice as likely as 18 African Americans who graduated from other insti- 19 tutions to report that their university prepared them 20 well for life. 21 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 22 (1) to strengthen the capacity and competitive- 23 ness of HBCUs to fulfill their principal mission of 24 equalizing educational opportunity, as described in 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1054 IH section 301(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 1 (20 U.S.C. 1051(b)); 2 (2) to align HBCUs with the educational and 3 economic competitiveness priorities of the United 4 States; 5 (3) to provide students enrolled at HBCUs with 6 the highest quality educational and economic oppor- 7 tunities; 8 (4) to bolster and facilitate productive inter- 9 actions between HBCUs and Federal agencies; and 10 (5) to encourage HBCU participation in and 11 benefit from Federal programs, grants, contracts, 12 and cooperative agreements. 13 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 14 In this Act: 15 (1) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Execu- 16 tive Director’’ means— 17 (A) the Executive Director of the White 18 House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges 19 and Universities, as designated by the Presi- 20 dent; or 21 (B) if no such Executive Director is des- 22 ignated, such person as the President may des- 23 ignate to lead the White House Initiative on 24 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 1054 IH (2) HBCU.—The term ‘‘HBCU’’ means a his- 1 torically Black college or university. 2 (3) HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE OR UNI- 3 VERSITY.—The term ‘‘historically Black college or 4 university’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘part B 5 institution’’ under section 322 of the Higher Edu- 6 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 7 (4) PRESIDENT’S BOARD OF ADVISORS.—The 8 term ‘‘President’s Board of Advisors’’ means the 9 President’s Board of Advisors on historically Black 10 colleges and universities. 11 (5) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise provided, 12 the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of Edu- 13 cation. 14 (6) WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE.—The term 15 ‘‘White House Initiative’’ means the White House 16 Initiative on historically Black colleges and univer- 17 sities. 18 SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING HBCUS THROUGH FEDERAL 19 AGENCY PLANS. 20 (a) SUBMITTING AGENCY PLANS.—Not later than 21 February 1 of each year, the head of each Federal agency 22 shall— 23 (1) submit to the Secretary and the Executive 24 Director an annual Agency Plan describing efforts to 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 1054 IH strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to participate in 1 relevant Federal programs and initiatives under the 2 jurisdiction of the Federal agency; or 3 (2) if the agency does not work regularly with 4 HBCUs, submit an annual Agency Plan describing 5 efforts to identify specific HBCU initiatives and re- 6 sources that could benefit the HBCU community. 7 (b) FURTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION AND 8 ACCESSIBILITY.—The head of each Federal agency shall 9 submit each annual Agency Plan described in subsection 10 (a) to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 11 Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education 12 and Labor of the House of Representatives. 13 (c) AGENCY PLAN CONTENT.—Where appropriate, 14 each Agency Plan shall— 15 (1) establish how the Federal agency intends to 16 increase the capacity of HBCUs to compete effec- 17 tively for grants, contracts, or cooperative agree- 18 ments; 19 (2) identify Federal programs and initiatives 20 under the jurisdiction of the Federal agency where 21 HBCUs are underrepresented; 22 (3) outline proposed efforts to improve HBCUs’ 23 participation in such programs and initiatives in 24 which they are underrepresented; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 1054 IH (4) if the agency does not have any programs 1 or initiatives currently operating to benefit HBCUs, 2 identify potential Federal programs and initiatives 3 that could be created to help bolster the HBCU 4 community; 5 (5) describe any progress made towards advanc- 6 ing or achieving goals and efforts from previous 7 Agency Plans; 8 (6) encourage public-sector, private-sector, and 9 community involvement in improving the capacity of 10 HBCUs; and 11 (7) meet, where relevant, any additional criteria 12 established by the Secretary or the White House Ini- 13 tiative. 14 (d) AGENCY ENGAGEMENT.—To help fulfill the ob- 15 jectives of the Agency Plans, the head of each Federal 16 agency— 17 (1) may provide, as appropriate, technical as- 18 sistance and information to the Executive Director 19 to enhance communication with HBCUs concerning 20 the Federal agency’s program activities and the 21 preparation of applications or proposals for grants, 22 contracts, or cooperative agreements; and 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 8 •HR 1054 IH (2) shall appoint a senior official to report di- 1 rectly to the agency head on the Federal agency’s 2 progress under this section. 3 SEC. 5. PRESIDENT’S BOARD OF ADVISORS ON HBCUS. 4 (a) ADMINISTRATION.— 5 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is established the 6 President’s Board of Advisors on historically Black 7 colleges and universities in the Department of Edu- 8 cation or, if the President so elects, within the Exec- 9 utive Office of the President. 10 (2) FUNDING FROM DEPARTMENT OF EDU- 11 CATION.—Except as provided in paragraph (3), the 12 Secretary shall provide funding and administrative 13 support for the President’s Board of Advisors, sub- 14 ject to the availability of appropriations. 15 (3) FUNDING FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF 16 THE PRESIDENT.—If the President elects to locate 17 the President’s Board of Advisors within the Execu- 18 tive Office of the President, the Executive Office of 19 the President shall provide funding and administra- 20 tive support for the President’s Board of Advisors, 21 subject to the availability of appropriations. 22 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The President shall appoint not 23 more than 23 members to the President’s Board of Advi- 24 sors, and the Secretary and Executive Director or their 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 9 •HR 1054 IH designees shall serve as ex officio members. The President 1 shall designate one member of the President’s Board of 2 Advisors to serve as its Chair, who shall help direct the 3 Board’s work in coordination with the Secretary and in 4 consultation with the Executive Director. The Chair shall 5 also consult with the Executive Director regarding the 6 time and location of meetings of the President’s Board 7 of Advisors, which shall take place not less frequently than 8 once every 6 months. Members of the President’s Board 9 of Advisors shall serve without compensation, but shall be 10 reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu 11 of subsistence, as authorized by law. Insofar as the Fed- 12 eral Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) may apply 13 to the Board, any functions of the President under such 14 Act, except for those of reporting to the Congress, shall 15 be performed by the Chair, in accordance with guidelines 16 issued by the Administrator of General Services. 17 (c) MISSION AND FUNCTIONS.—The President’s 18 Board of Advisors shall advise the President on all matters 19 pertaining to strengthening the educational capacity of 20 HBCUs. In particular, the President’s Board of Advisors 21 shall advise the President in the following areas: 22 (1) Improving the identity, visibility, distinctive 23 capabilities, and overall competitiveness of HBCUs. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 10 •HR 1054 IH (2) Engaging the philanthropic, business, gov- 1 ernment, military, homeland-security, and education 2 communities in a national dialogue regarding new 3 HBCU programs and initiatives. 4 (3) Improving the ability of HBCUs to remain 5 fiscally secure institutions that can assist the Nation 6 in achieving its educational goals and in advancing 7 the interests of the United States. 8 (4) Elevating the public awareness of, and fos- 9 tering appreciation of, HBCUs. 10 (5) Encouraging public-private investments in 11 HBCUs. 12 (6) Improving government-wide strategic plan- 13 ning related to HBCU competitiveness to align Fed- 14 eral resources and provide the context for decisions 15 about HBCU partnerships, investments, perform- 16 ance goals, priorities, human capital development, 17 and budget planning. 18 (d) REPORT.—The President’s Board of Advisors 19 shall report annually to the President on the Board’s 20 progress in carrying out its duties under this section. 21 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:24 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1054.IH H1054 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS