U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Raphael Warnock Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Federal Grants for HBCUs, Host HBCU Presidents in Roundtable Discussion

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) joined Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in introducing the bipartisan HBCU Research Capacity Act, legislation that would streamline federal funding opportunities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

To announce the bill, the Senators hosted over 30 HBCU presidents from across the country for a roundtable discussion. Alabama A&M University President Dr. Daniel K. Wims, Alabama State University President Dr. Quinton T. Ross Jr., Drake State Community & Technical College President Dr. Patricia G. Sims, Shelton State Community College President Dr. Jonathan Koh, Lawson State Community College President Dr. Cynthia T. Anthony, Trenholm State Community College President Dr. Kemba K. Chambers, and Bishop State Community College President Olivier Charles were in attendance. During the discussion, the presidents addressed the need for legislation like the HBCU Research Capacity Act and continued support at the federal level.

"It was a privilege to be joined by so many HBCU presidents from across the nation. One of my biggest takeaways from the roundtable was our shared passion for ensuring all HBCUs have the resources available to provide their students with the highest level of opportunity - which I'm committed to continue fighting for," said Senator Britt. "I am proud to represent the state with the most HBCUs in the nation. 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. 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."

"HBCUs are incubators of diverse excellence and have proven their ability time and again to punch above their weight. Despite not always having every tool at their disposal, they continue to make massive contributions to the research and development community. This bipartisan bill will make securing federal dollars for their research efforts that much easier, and I am proud to work alongside another champion of HBCUs in Senator Katie Britt," said Senator Warnock.

Senator Britt and several Alabama HBCU Presidents.

Despite their significant contributions, HBCUs receive less than 1% of the roughly $60 billion in federal research and development (R&D) funding allocated to colleges and universities. In May 2024, the National Science and Technology Council released a report which identified barriers to R&D funding for HBCUs. Additionally, the report recommended that the federal government improve interagency collaboration to compile grant opportunities for HBCUs.

This bipartisan legislation would establish a federal clearinghouse of all available federal grant opportunities for HBCUs to help them apply for federal funding and best support their missions and students. Specifically, the HBCU Research Capacity Act would amend Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to coordinate with federal agencies to create a centralized website listing these grant opportunities. This website would also share best practices for building research capacity, including recommendations from Federal, State, and local organizations. In addition, the bill would require the Secretary of Education to:

• Assign personnel to administer the federal clearinghouse;
• Provide a written notification of the federal clearinghouse to HBCUs and Congress; and,
• Send an annual report regarding the clearinghouse to Congress and a quarterly update to HBCUs upon their consent.

Senator Warnock, Dr Harry L. Williams, President and CEO of Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), and Senator Britt

Statements of support:

"For too long, federal research investments have been disproportionately concentrated in a select few institutions of higher education," Dr. Harry L. Williams, Thurgood Marshall College Fund president and CEO, said."By connecting historically Black colleges and universities with federal research opportunities, the HBCU Research Capacity Act-co-sponsored by Senators Raphael Warnock and Katie Britt-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."

"The UNCF (United Negro College Fund, Inc.) 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. 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."

"America's future depends on our ability to tap into every reservoir of talent available. The HBCU Research Capacity Act is the key to unlocking that potential, transforming institutional capacity into life-changing discoveries. Investing in the research capabilities of HBCUs-and the scholars who lead them-will yield generational dividends. We must ensure that the next George Washington Carver has the tools to thrive in the 21st century. On behalf of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), I am proud to enthusiastically endorse this act," said Timothy W. Eaton, Ph.D., President of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS).

The HBCU Research Capacity Act is endorsed by the United Negro College Fund, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Education, and the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.

You can read the full text of the bill here.

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