Rep. Adams Returns Landmark IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act to Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Representative Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D-NC-12) and Representative French Hill (R-AR-02) reintroduced the Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for Historically Black College and University Excellence Act, also known as the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, H.R. 8791. 

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced a companion package in the Senate.

“For generations, HBCUs have educated students who went on to lead in every corner of our country, often while operating with far fewer resources than their peer institutions,”saidCongresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., Founder and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus and a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus.“The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act is about making sure these institutions have the facilities and infrastructure needed to continue serving students and competing in today’s higher education landscape. From academic buildings and research labs to student housing and technology infrastructure, this bill makes long-term investments that will strengthen our campuses, support workforce development, and expand opportunity for future generations. I am proud to continue this bipartisan work through the HBCU Caucus alongside Congressman French Hill and our Senate partners.”

A century of underfunding and financial neglect from state and federal governments have left the vast majority of HBCUs with aging laboratories, deteriorating dormitories, outdated equipment, and crumbling infrastructure. 

This bipartisan legislation would authorize federal investments to rebuild and modernize aging campus infrastructure at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the United States. 

HBCUs have a substantially outsized impact on the communities they support. HBCUs represent 3 percent of all four-year colleges and universities in the United States, but graduate 17 percent of all bachelor’s degrees and 27 percent of STEM degrees awarded to Black Americans. 50 percent of Black educators come from HBCUs. Annually, HBCUs contribute $16.5 billion to local communities and regional economies. 

"Central Arkansas is home to four outstanding HBCUs, and I have seen firsthand the difference these institutions make for their students and communities,” Congressman French Hill, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus said.“I have also seen how the lack of long-term investment and aging infrastructure limits what these institutions are able to offer their students. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act is a meaningful step toward addressing that. It would help ensure our HBCUs have the facilities and infrastructure to match the excellence of the students they serve. This is the kind of investment that will pay dividends for generations, and I am proud to partner with Congresswoman Adams and our Senate colleagues to get it done." 

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Delaware State University have long been institutions that create opportunity and academic excellence for future generations of community leaders, innovators, educators, and freedom fighters,” said Senator Coons, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. “Funding for HBCUs is critical to providing educational resources for low-income students, first generation college students, and those most at risk of not entering college. Congress needs to take up and pass the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act to modernize campuses across the country so that HBCUs have the technology, facilities, and resources they need to educate the next generation.”  

“HBCUs have long been engines of opportunity, but for far too long, too many have been asked to do more with less. The IGNITE for HBCU Excellence Act will help modernize campuses, expand research and workforce training opportunities, and ensure students are prepared to succeed in a 21st-century economy,” said Senator Tim Scott, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. “I’m proud to partner with Senator Coons on this legislation to strengthen HBCUs in South Carolina and across the country for generations to come.”

“Despite being historically underfunded and facing severe infrastructure needs, HBCUs have contributed significantly to our nation’s workforce and success,” said Rep. Shomari C. Figures (D-AL-02). “This bipartisan, commonsense legislation helps get HBCUs the investments they need to update their facilities and to thrive, and will be especially impactful in Alabama, which has the most HBCUs in the country."

 "This legislation is an important step in assuring that students at our Historically Black Colleges and Universities have access to the best and most modern facilities possible,” said Rep. Richard McCormick (R-GA-07). “I am proud to support this commonsense legislation, which will help HBCUs across Georgia make critical investments in their students and cover much-needed maintenance costs."

“As Vice Chair of the Congressional HBCU Caucus, I am proud to support the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act,” said Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Vice Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus.“Alabama is home to some of the finest Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the nation, institutions that have shaped generations of leaders, innovators, educators, and changemakers. Despite their extraordinary impact, our HBCUs have endured decades of systemic underfunding. This bill represents a transformational investment in the future of HBCUs by modernizing campus facilities, expanding access to technology, preserving historic buildings, and ensuring students have access to the world-class learning environments they deserve.”

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Central State University and Wilberforce University, both here in Ohio’s 10th congressional district, have opened doors of opportunity for generations of students and helped prepare the workforce that strengthens our economy, our research enterprise, and our national competitiveness,” said Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH-10), Vice Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus.“The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act is a bipartisan effort to strengthen HBCUs, expand opportunity, and ensure students have the learning environments they need to succeed.”

A description of the bill is available here.

The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act would:

• Utilize public and private investments to renovate, repair, modernize, or construct new campus facilities, including instructional, research, and residential spaces;
• Provide access to campus-wide, reliable high-speed broadband to support digital learning and long-term technological capacity;
• Develop campus facilities to support community-based partnerships that provide students and community members with academic, health, and social services;
• Procure equipment and technology needed to facilitate high-quality research and instruction;
• Preserve buildings with historic significance; and
• Ensure the resilience, safety, and sustainability of campus facilities.

The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act has drawn broad support from higher education associations, HBCUs and their alumni networks, industry partners, and civil rights organizations.

President Valerie Kinloch from Johnson C Smith University, President Paulette R. Dillard from Shaw University, Chancellor Anthony Graham from University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, President Anthony Davis from Livingstone College, President Maurice Gipson from Philander Smith University, President Safiya George from University of the Virgin Islands, President Quiton T. Ross Jr. from Alabama State University, President Jeffery Norfleet from Shorter College, Dr. Timothy C. Summers from Morgan State University and Dr. Kelvin Laweson from Florida A&M University, Mr. Ronald Carrere from Xavier University of Louisiana, and Dr. Felecia Nave with the 1890 Universities Foundation, alongside representatives of Howard University, Fisk University, and Bowie State University were in attendance for the press conference announcing the reintroduction of the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. 

“The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act will help transform our institutions,”Dr. Harry L. Williams, Thurgood Marshall College Fund president & CEO, said. “In order for our nation to reach its full potential, we must strategically invest in and support every postsecondary student population to ensure that our country has the robust workforce capable of meeting tomorrow’s challenges. By passing the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, Congress is making an affirmative statement that investing in HBCUs and their students is a smart strategic investment to enhance our nation’s global competitiveness. We thank Rep. Hill, Rep Adams, Sen. Scott and Sen. Coons of the bipartisan HBCU Caucus for bringing this smart piece of legislation forward and we urge Congress to pass the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act this year.”

"Infrastructure spending strengthens each of our institutions. Currently, West Virginia State University has more than $100 million in deferred maintenance,” said Ericke S. Cage, chair of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Council of 1890 University Presidents and President of West Virginia State University. “That reality frustrates momentum as our University strives to turn out graduates to meet workforce demand in fields such as agriculture, cybersecurity, engineering, nursing and education. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act will allow our institutions to thrive, elevating the HBCU experience, enhancing student enrollment and making our institutions a top choice for faculty, thus multiplying the collective impact of our institutions for the betterment of our nation."

"When Congress invests in 1890 Land-Grant Universities, it is investing in the food security, agricultural research, and workforce development that this nation depends on. We contribute nearly $15 billion annually to our communities. Our institutions are not on the margins of these critical conversations. We are leading them. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act gives us the infrastructure to lead even more effectively and serve even more students, farmers, and communities across the country,” said Felecia M. Nave, Ph.D., President and CEO, 1890 Universities Foundation.

“The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act has the potential to be a transformative investment in HBCUs and the students who depend on them,” said Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of UNCF. "For generations, HBCUs have nurtured extraordinary talent, yet they have long struggled with unequal access to funding and modern infrastructure. This legislation could reverse those adverse circumstances by providing targeted resources that strengthen both research excellence and campus infrastructure, ensuring HBCUs have the tools to lead in a rapidly changing world.”

"The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act will empower HBCUs by strengthening them financially,”Lomax continued.  "We—at UNCF—view strengthening HBCUs both from the financial and infrastructure perspectives as the maximum impact Congress can have on the institutions at this time.  When HBCUs thrive, the entire nation benefits. These institutions have long been engines of social mobility and economic growth in our communities. By passing the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, Congress will ensure that HBCUs have the capacity to continue shaping leaders, advancing innovation, and serving as vital pillars of our national progress.  We urge Congress to act without delay, pass the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, and make these vital investments in America’s future.”

The Century Foundation, Goldman Sachs, HomeFree-Usa, Farm Credit Council, Vanguard, LendingTree, TIAA, American Honda Motor Company, Center for Community Self-Help, and the International Franchise Association (IFA) have endorsed the bill.