Georgia congressional Democrats, students call for more federal HBCU support
As the centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s agenda works its way through Congress, Georgia’s Democratic representatives are calling for more money for historically Black colleges and universities.
“As the American Jobs and Families Plans have morphed into reconciliation legislation, President Biden’s proposed $45 billion for educational institutions including HBCUs has been downsized to $2 billion in the House’s version of reconciliation legislation,” Rep. Nikema Williams’ office wrote. “This will leave more work to do to make lasting investments in HBCU infrastructure.”
Williams’ name is at the top of an Oct. 19 letter sent to Virginia Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott, who chairs the House Committee on Education and Labor, urging him to take up a bill called the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act in the committee.
“We will continue to prioritize ensuring that reconciliation legislation includes language providing for equitable and robust investments in our HBCUs,” reads the letter, which is also signed by Georgia Reps. Lucy McBath, Sanford Bishop, David Scott, Hank Johnson and Carolyn Bourdeaux and others representing other states. “However, the limited funding for HBCUs that is currently possible through reconciliation will leave more work to do. Only by advancing the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act can we address the comprehensive infrastructural upgrades needed at our HBCUs.”
Read more: https://georgiarecorder.com/2021/10/20/georgia-congressional-democrats-students-call-for-more-federal-hbcu-support/
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