[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8943 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8943

 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to 
   support arts education at minority-serving institutions of higher 
                               education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 8, 2024

Ms. Kamlager-Dove (for herself, Ms. Adams, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Velazquez, 
and Ms. Bonamici) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
              the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to 
   support arts education at minority-serving institutions of higher 
                               education.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Equitable Arts Education Enhancement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to a 2021 study by Americans for the Arts, 
        the arts are an invaluable aspect of American society, as they 
        strengthen the economy, improve healthcare, spark creativity 
        and innovation, and unify communities, with 73 percent of 
        participants agreeing that the arts help them to better 
        understand other cultures.
            (2) The American Alliance of Museums found that ``93 
        percent of museum directors are white, as are 92.6 percent of 
        board chairs and 89.3 percent of board members'', reflecting a 
        clear lack of diversity in the leadership of museums.
            (3) Minority-serving institutions, or ``MSIs'', are 
        uniquely positioned to produce a diverse generation of art 
        professionals and help bring much needed attention to works by 
        BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists. MSIs have 
        historically served as long-standing conservators and crucial 
        supporters of artist from diverse backgrounds. At a time when 
        diversity, equity, and inclusion are being targeted, the 
        teaching, supporting, and displaying of essential Minority 
        artists who may otherwise have remained unrecognized must be 
        prioritized.
            (4) Arts programs and arts departments are expensive and 
        have often fallen victim to funding shortfalls. In 2018, the 
        College Art Association reported that at least 18 institutions 
        of higher education planned to severely curtail or eliminate 
        their arts departments.
            (5) An increased investment in MSI arts, arts education, 
        and culture programs can further help Black, Indigenous, 
        students of color access an affordable arts education and 
        ensure the continued preparation, conservation, display, and 
        study of works by Minority artists.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education (referred to in this 
section as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a program under which the 
Secretary makes grants to minority-serving institutions, on a 
competitive basis, to support arts education at such institutions.
    (b) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a minority-serving institution shall submit to the Secretary 
an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require.
    (c) Uses of Funds.--A minority-serving institution that receives a 
grant under this section shall use such grant to support increased 
racial minority access to arts education at the institution, which may 
include--
            (1) providing financial and other assistance to students in 
        arts, arts education, and cultural programs;
            (2) establishing outreach programs and development offices 
        for arts, arts education, and cultural departments;
            (3) providing comprehensive wraparound services for arts, 
        arts education, and cultural students, including faculty and 
        peer mentorship, work-based learning opportunities, guidance 
        counseling, and career advising;
            (4) presenting and exhibiting art and performances produced 
        by minority-serving institutions, and maintaining, monitoring, 
        and protecting minority art collections in exhibition and in 
        storage;
            (5) providing well-paid apprenticeship, internship, and 
        fellowship opportunities to students in arts, arts education, 
        and cultural programs through partnerships with nonprofit arts, 
        arts education, and cultural institutes;
            (6) offering stipends to students in arts education 
        preparation programs to enable such students to participate in 
        clinical experiences;
            (7) developing mentoring programs for future arts 
        educators;
            (8) providing training and stipends for mentor teachers; 
        and
            (9) paying for future arts educators and mentor teachers to 
        participate in professional learning opportunities offered by 
        nonprofit arts education organizations.
    (d) Considerations.--In determining the appropriate uses of funds 
under subsection (c), a minority-serving institution shall give special 
consideration to uses of funds that directly benefit minority students.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``arts'' means art forms used for self-
        expression and interpretation, including dance, music, theater, 
        literary, visual, graphic, media arts, plastic, and decorative 
        arts.
            (2) The term ``minority'' means an individual from an 
        underrepresented racial minority.
            (3) The term ``minority-serving institution'' means an 
        institution specified in section 371(a) of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
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