Adams' Higher Education Work Championed by House Leadership

Washington, D.C,--Today, Congresswoman Alma Adams, founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus announced HBCU priorities included in the FY2018 omnibus appropriations package.

"The successful inclusion of HBCU priorities in the FY2018 omnibus is the very reason I started the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. The Caucus worked with House leadership to outline HBCU priorities at our Democratic Caucus' HBCU President's Roundtable in September and to give a strong voice to those priorities through the first HBCU STEAM Day of Action. I am proud that these efforts have produced key policy changes that provide critical relief for our schools, including two HBCUs in North Carolina," said Congresswoman Adams. "As a proud two-time graduate of an HBCU and a retired HBCU educator of forty years, I know the inherent value of these schools. Despite the fact that they provide pathways of greater opportunity for thousands of students and contribute 14 billion dollars to our economy annually, they continue to be underfunded and undervalued. That is why today's victory is such a pivotal moment. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure that HBCU concerns are heard and their challenges are addressed through substantive legislative solutions."

"Congresswoman Adams' stalwart leadership on behalf of HBCUs has been vital to expand the promise of an affordable, quality higher education for all," said Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. "Nothing brings more money to the U.S. Treasury than investments in education— from early learning, K through 12, college to lifelong learning. With this funding, House Democrats are proud to deliver on that promise at HBCUs, from campus infrastructure to improving the purchasing power of Pell Grants. Ensuring the long-term security and stability of these historic institutions as engines of opportunity will help put a meaningful degree within reach for every man and woman."

The HBCU priorities included in the FY2018 Omnibus are:

• $10 million increase in funding for the HBCU Capital Financing Program to allow schools experiencing financial difficulty due to their loans a deferment on payment for 3 to 6 years;
• Increases TRIO and GEAR Up funding by $60 million and $10 million, respectively;
• National Park Service's (NPS) HBCU Historic Preservation Program is funded at $5 million, in line with the Clyburn-Adams amendment to the House Interior Appropriations bill.
• $35 million increase in Title III, Part B funding, which supports institutional aid for HBCUs.

Last September Leader Pelosi and Congresswoman Adams met with a coalition of nearly 40 HBCU presidents during the first HBCU President's Roundtable during national HBCU week. During this meeting, they announced the Democratic Caucus' priorities for HBCUs. The coalition of HBCU leaders returned to Capitol Hill earlier this month to advocate on those priorities during the science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) Day of Action hosted by the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus.