WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) participated in a bipartisan panel at the 2020 HBCU Fly-In hosted by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). The conference allows Presidents and Chancellors of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to continue the discussion on how to advance opportunities for black youth and participate in an open dialogue around bettering HBCU’s and minority-serving institutions (MSI).
“North Carolina is the home of the most HBCUs in the nation and I have made it a priority to advocate on behalf of HBCUs to ensure they have the support they need to continue their standard of excellence,” said Senator Tillis. “Our work last year to permanently reauthorize annual funding for HBCUs and help students pursue their academic and professional goals was a huge step, and I will continue to prioritize HBCUs and produce outcomes to ensure institutions can continue to provide quality education, increase the pipeline of qualified talent, and create more innovative and inclusive industries in the 21st century, especially in STEM-related fields.”
Last year, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan amendment to the House-passed FUTURE Act co-sponsored by Senator Tillis to make permanent $255 million in annual funding for HBCUs and MSIs, simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 20 million American families, and streamline income-driven repayment for nearly 8 million borrowers. Senator Tillis was also a co-sponsor of the FAFSA Act that was included in the legislation.
Senator Tillis also co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that passed the U.S Senate that will strengthen partnerships between federal agencies and the country’s more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The HBCU PARTNERS Act builds on President Trump’s 2017 executive order on HBCUs and will require federal agencies with relevant grants and programs to undertake annual planning and coordinate their efforts to support and expand HBCU participation in those programs.
In 2018, Senator Tillis worked to include bipartisan legislation he co-sponsored into the 2018 Farm Bill that allows HBCUs the same financial flexibility that other land grants currently enjoy by eliminating an outdated provision that prohibited 1890 land grants (all HBCUs) from carrying over more than 20% of all extension funding.
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