[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 461 Engrossed Amendment House (EAH)]
<DOC>
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,
December 7, 2020.
Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 461) entitled ``An Act
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.'',
do pass with the following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships
Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act'' or the ``HBCU PARTNERS
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) As many colleges and universities across the country
kept their doors closed to African American applicants,
historically Black colleges and universities (referred to in
this section as ``HBCUs'') played a central role in ensuring
that African Americans could attain an excellent education.
(2) Today, HBCUs continue to play a critical role in
ensuring that African Americans, and those of all races, can
access high-quality educational opportunities.
(3) HBCUs enroll nearly 300,000 students, an estimated 70
percent of whom come from low-income backgrounds and 80 percent
of whom are African American.
(4) According to the National Association For Equal
Opportunity In Higher Education (referred to in this section as
``NAFEO''), HBCUs make up just 3 percent of American
institutions of higher education but serve more than a fifth of
African American college students.
(5) According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
(referred to in this section as ``TMCF''), approximately 9
percent of all African American college students attend HBCUs.
(6) A March 2017 report from the Education Trust concluded
that HBCUs have higher completion rates for African American
students than other institutions serving similar student
populations.
(7) According to TMCF, 40 percent of African American
Members of Congress, 50 percent of African American lawyers,
and 80 percent of African American judges are graduates of
HBCUs.
(8) According to NAFEO, HBCUs graduate approximately 50
percent of African American public school teaching
professionals.
(9) According to the United Negro College Fund (referred to
in this section as ``UNCF''), African American graduates of
HBCUs are almost twice as likely as African Americans who
graduated from other institutions to report that their
university prepared them well for life.
(10) According to a study commissioned by UNCF, in 2014,
HBCUs generated a total direct economic impact of
$14,800,000,000 and created more than 134,000 jobs.
(11) According to a 2019 report produced by the American
Council on Education and UNCF, despite efforts to counter a
historical legacy of inequitable funding and notable
investments by the Federal Government and many State
governments, resource inequities continue to plague HBCUs.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of HBCUs
to fulfill their principal mission of equalizing educational
opportunity, as described in section 301(b) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051(b));
(2) to align HBCUs with the educational and economic
competitiveness priorities of the United States;
(3) to provide students enrolled at HBCUs with the highest
quality educational and economic opportunities;
(4) to bolster and facilitate productive interactions
between HBCUs and Federal agencies; and
(5) to encourage HBCU participation in and benefit from
Federal programs, grants, contracts, and cooperative
agreements.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Applicable agency.--The term ``applicable agency''
means--
(A) the Department of Agriculture;
(B) the Department of Commerce;
(C) the Department of Defense;
(D) the Department of Education;
(E) the Department of Energy;
(F) the Department of Health and Human Services;
(G) the Department of Homeland Security;
(H) the Department of Housing and Urban
Development;
(I) the Department of the Interior;
(J) the Department of Justice;
(K) the Department of Labor;
(L) the Department of State;
(M) the Department of Transportation;
(N) the Department of Treasury;
(O) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(P) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(Q) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
(R) the National Science Foundation;
(S) the Small Business Administration; and
(T) any other Federal agency designated as an
applicable agency under section 4.
(2) Executive director.--The term ``Executive Director''
means--
(A) the Executive Director of the White House
Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, as designated by the President; or
(B) if no such Executive Director is designated,
such person as the President may designate to lead the
White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges
and Universities.
(3) HBCU.--The term ``HBCU'' means a historically Black
college or university.
(4) Historically black college or university.--The term
``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning
given the term ``part B institution'' under section 322 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
(5) President's board of advisors.--The term ``President's
Board of Advisors'' means the President's Board of Advisors on
historically Black colleges and universities.
(6) Secretary.--Except as otherwise provided, the term
``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Education.
(7) White house initiative.--The term ``White House
Initiative'' means the White House Initiative on historically
Black colleges and universities.
SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING HBCUS THROUGH FEDERAL AGENCY PLANS.
(a) Designating Applicable Agencies.--The Secretary, in
consultation with the Executive Director, shall--
(1) identify each Federal agency with which an HBCU--
(A) has entered into a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement; or
(B) is eligible to participate in the programs and
initiatives under the jurisdiction of such Federal
agency; and
(2) designate each Federal agency so identified as an
applicable agency.
(b) Submitting Agency Plans.--Not later than February 1 of each
year, the head of each applicable agency shall submit to the Secretary,
the Executive Director, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on Education and Labor of the
House of Representatives, and the President's Board of Advisors an
annual Agency Plan describing efforts to strengthen the capacity of
HBCUs to participate or be eligible to participate in the programs and
initiatives under the jurisdiction of such applicable agency as
described in subsection (a)(1)(B).
(c) Further Requirements for Submission and Accessibility.--The
Executive Director shall make all annual Agency Plan submissions
publicly available online in a user-friendly format.
(d) Agency Plan Content.--Where appropriate, each Agency Plan shall
include--
(1) a description of how the applicable agency intends to
increase the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for
grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements;
(2) an identification of Federal programs and initiatives
under the jurisdiction of the applicable agency in which HBCUs
are underrepresented;
(3) an outline of proposed efforts to improve HBCUs'
participation in such programs and initiatives;
(4) a description of any progress made towards advancing or
achieving goals and efforts from previous Agency Plans
submitted under this section by such applicable agency;
(5) a description of how the applicable agency plans to
encourage public-sector, private-sector, and community
involvement to improve the capacity of HBCUs to compete
effectively for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements,
and to participate in programs and initiatives under the
jurisdiction of such agency;
(6) an identification of programs and initiatives not
listed in a previous Agency Plan in which an HBCU may
participate;
(7) any other information the applicable agency determines
is relevant to promoting opportunities to fund, partner,
contract, or otherwise interact with HBCUs; and
(8) any additional criteria established by the Secretary or
the White House Initiative.
(e) Agency Engagement.--To help fulfill the objectives of the
Agency Plans, the head of each applicable agency--
(1) shall provide, as appropriate, technical assistance and
information to the Executive Director to enhance communication
with HBCUs concerning the applicable agency's--
(A) programs and initiatives described in
subsection (d)(2); and
(B) the preparation of applications or proposals
for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements; and
(2) shall appoint a senior official to report directly to
the agency head on the applicable agency's progress under this
section.
SEC. 5. PRESIDENT'S BOARD OF ADVISORS ON HBCUS.
(a) Administration.--
(1) In general.--There is established the President's Board
of Advisors on historically Black colleges and universities in
the Department of Education or, if the President so elects,
within the Executive Office of the President.
(2) Funding from ed.--Except as provided in paragraph (3),
the Secretary shall provide funding and administrative support
for the President's Board of Advisors, subject to the
availability of appropriations.
(3) Funding from the executive office of the president.--If
the President elects to locate the President's Board of
Advisors within the Executive Office of the President, the
Executive Office of the President shall provide funding and
administrative support for the President's Board of Advisors,
subject to the availability of appropriations.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The President shall appoint not more than
23 members to the President's Board of Advisors, and the
Secretary and Executive Director or their designees shall serve
as ex officio members.
(2) Chair.--
(A) Designation.--The President shall designate one
member of the President's Board of Advisors to serve as
its Chair, who shall help direct the Board's work in
coordination with the Secretary and in consultation
with the Executive Director.
(B) Consultation.--The Chair shall also consult
with the Executive Director regarding the time and
location of meetings of the President's Board of
Advisors, which shall take place not less frequently
than once every 6 months.
(C) Performance.--Insofar as the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) may apply to the
President's Board of Advisors, any functions of the
President under such Act, except for those of reporting
to the Congress, shall be performed by the Chair, in
accordance with guidelines issued by the Administrator
of General Services.
(3) Compensation.--Members of the President's Board of
Advisors shall serve without compensation, but shall be
reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, as authorized by law.
(c) Mission and Functions.--The President's Board of Advisors shall
advise the President, through the White House Initiative, on all
matters pertaining to strengthening the educational capacity of HBCUs,
which shall include the following:
(1) Improving the identity, visibility, distinctive
capabilities, and overall competitiveness of HBCUs.
(2) Engaging the philanthropic, business, government,
military, homeland-security, and education communities in a
national dialogue regarding new HBCU programs and initiatives.
(3) Improving the ability of HBCUs to remain fiscally
secure institutions that can assist the Nation in achieving its
educational goals and in advancing the interests of all
Americans.
(4) Elevating the public awareness of, and fostering
appreciation of, HBCUs.
(5) Encouraging public-private investments in HBCUs.
(6) Improving government-wide strategic planning related to
HBCU competitiveness to align Federal resources and provide the
context for decisions about HBCU partnerships, investments,
performance goals, priorities, human capital development, and
budget planning.
(d) Report.--The President's Board of Advisors shall report
annually to the President on the Board's progress in carrying out its
duties under this section.
Attest:
Clerk.
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 461
_______________________________________________________________________
AMENDMENT