Rep. Adams' Amendments Included in H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two of Congresswoman Alma Adams' (NC-12) amendments will be included in H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, an omnibus infrastructure bill being considered by the House of Representatives this week. Both amendments concern equitable resources for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

"Ensuring that our HBCUs and MSIs receive their fair share of federal research dollars will expand research and development opportunities for students and faculty. Most important, increasing the number of grants to our schools will build a pipeline of diverse talent into STEM professions," said Congresswoman Adams, co-chair of the Congressional HBCU Caucus. "We owe it to our students of color to provide them pathways to success. These amendments help fulfill that commitment. "

Fact Sheet: Amendment 215

Amendment 215 to H.R. 2 would increase the minimum number of HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) that receive University Transportation Center (UTC) research grants from two to four.

H.R. 2 authorizes $96 million annually for consortiums of schools to conduct state-of-the-art transportation research and train our next generation of transportation professionals. This amendment would increase equity in educational grant funding.

Among the 37 consortiums of schools, only seven are anchored by HBCUs or MSIs: North Carolina A&T, Morgan State University, San Jose State University, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, University of Texas- Arlington, Florida Atlantic University, and Florida International University.

Fact Sheet: Amendment 232

Amendment 232 concerns the infrastructure needs of HBCUs.

In 2018, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report calling on the Secretary of Education to examine the potential benefits of modifying loans for current participants of the HBCU Capital Financing Program.

This program helps HBCUs upgrade old infrastructure such as residence halls and academic buildings, many of which have been in use for decades. Modifying existing loans would help HBCUs to complete their repayment of existing loans while not costing the federal government a dollar. However, the Secretary of Education has refused to substantively examine the issue.

This amendment would require the Education Department to complete that analysis and transmit results to the House Education & Labor Committee and the Senate HELP Committee.

Congresswoman Alma Adams represents North Carolina's 12^th Congressional District (Charlotte) and serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture. Additionally, she serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Education & Labor Committee, where she serves as Chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee. In 2015, she co-founded the first bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus, which she continues to chair.