In Support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Floor Speech
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here this evening to address a very important topic. I rise to advocate, along with my colleagues who have come, for the 300,000 students that attend our Nation's historically Black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs.
As Congress looks to agree on a funding agreement for fiscal year 2020, we must keep in mind our Nation's 102 HBCUs that specialize in providing opportunity for low-income, first-generation African American students.
When I entered Congress, one of my first tasks when I got here was to launch the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus to bring greater attention to the issues that affect HBCUs and their students. I did so because more than anything I know the importance of HBCUs, not only in the African American community, but for our economy as a whole.
For more than 150 years, HBCUs have paved a way where there is no way for America's most talented Black minds. Despite discrimination and neglect, HBCUs have continued to pull above their weight. We know the facts and the figures, but it never hurts to repeat them.
HBCUs produce 27 percent of all African American STEM graduates; 40 percent of all African American engineers; 50 percent of all African American lawyers; 50 percent of all African American public school teachers; and 80 percent of all African American judges; despite only educating 10 percent of all African American college students.
In my home State of North Carolina, we have 10 HBCUs currently operating and educating over 33,000 students: Bennett College; Elizabeth City State University; Fayetteville State University; Johnson C. Smith University--in my congressional district; Livingstone College; the North Carolina A&T State University, which is my alma mater and the largest public HBCU that produces African American engineers and the largest public HBCU in the Nation; along with North Carolina Central University; Saint Augustine's University; Shaw University; and last but not least, Winston-Salem State University.
They make a total of $1.7 billion of economic impact in the State, supporting over 15,000 jobs and guaranteeing for their graduates $20.7 billion in lifetime earnings.
They are more than a worthy investment for this body and for our State legislatures back home. And over the last 50 years, Congress has taken strides to correct for the historic lack of engagement and investment in these schools that contribute so much.
When enacted in 1965, the Higher Education Act represented the Federal Government's first recognition of the important mission that HBCUs serve. The HEA of 1965 first authorized Title III Institutional Aid, which is the key program that supports academic quality, institutional management, and financial stability at HBCUs.
Through multiple reauthorizations, Congress has sought to strengthen and to supplement this law by providing low-interest loans for schools to make infrastructure improvements. And, yes, by authorizing mandatory funding to help HBCUs prepare students for STEM careers, a mission that is sorely needed in a workforce that screams for diversity and inclusion.
So tonight, Madam Speaker, we will hear from this body's most tireless advocates for HBCUs and our students, many of whom are members of the HBCU Caucus, which now includes almost 100 Members of the House and Senate, and many of whom are alums of our Nation's HBCUs, and many of my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus, because we know firsthand what these schools mean to an aspiring student of color looking at education as a ticket to the middle class.
Madam Speaker, I stand tonight as a living testament to the necessity and to the importance of HBCUs. My mother, who raised me, was not an educated woman. She wasn't able to obtain a high school education and certainly not to attend an HBCU or any CU for that matter. But she understood how important education would be in my life.
My mom did domestic work. She cleaned other folks' houses for many years so I wouldn't have to do that. But like those visionaries who founded these schools after surviving the horrors of slavery, my mother dreamed of a better future for me as her daughter. And when I could not fully recognize the potential in myself, it was an HBCU in North Carolina, North Carolina A&T State University, that saw something in me and made a committed investment towards my success.
A&T gave a poor, Black girl from the ghetto of Newark, New Jersey, an opportunity, because that school believed in opportunity and the fundamental importance of education that W.E.B. Du Bois spoke about. When he said, ``Of all of the civil rights for which the world has struggled and fought for 500 years, the right to learn is undoubtedly the most fundamental.''
That HBCU took me from where they found me and got me to where I needed to be. They shaped and molded me into what they knew I could become, just as all of our schools have for millions of Americans since the founding of the first HBCU, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania in 1836. General Leave
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott).
Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Adams. Let me just commend her as our leader of the HBCU Caucus up here. She does a marvelous job, and it is a pleasure to work with her. And I know all the people of North Carolina are very proud of the leadership that she is providing.
Madam Speaker, this is a particular honor for me, because I stand here as a premier example of why our historically Black colleges and universities are so important.
When I graduated from high school, my mother and father had no money. I got a job washing dishes in a Daytona Beach hotel, and the people of Daytona Beach, Florida, got together and raised $350, and they said, ``Here, go to the college of your choice.'' And thank God there was a Florida A&M University. And you know what, Madam Speaker? Florida A&M was on the trimester system. And guess what it cost for one trimester? $350.
God is wonderful. And God has blessed this Nation because we have a Florida A&M, a Tuskegee, a North Carolina A&T, a Fort Valley, a Tennessee State. All of these great institutions to get a way out of no way for folks just like me.
That is why this is important. I wouldn't be in Congress today if it weren't for Florida A&M University, because that is why I wanted to tell how I got here. And I wouldn't have been able to meet my loving partner and wife, Alfredia, had it not been for Florida A&M University.
So what I am saying is: our historically Black universities have provided the foundation for the Black family structure. That is where you meet your wife. And I will tell you what, we took a survey one time, and those individuals that met their wives at college last a long time. And that is what is so important, in addition to the great education that we have.
And I just want to say, also while I am here, of the great achievement that we Members of the Congressional Black Caucus achieved, a historical event, $80 million in scholarships for the 19 African American land-grant colleges and universities, a bipartisan historic effort. And you know what, Madam Speaker, it is in the farm bill now. Five years from now it will come back. And we have laid the foundation to make it a permanent appropriation. That is our goal. This floor is crowded with African Americans who have helped make this dream a reality.
I am very grateful for all that our colleges have done. And I just want to say thank God for our historically Black colleges and universities. And thank Ms. Adams.
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I thank gentleman from Georgia.
And he is absolutely right, HBCUs take you where they find you and mold and shape you.
I had the privilege to serve on the faculty and to serve as an administrator at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, for 40 years. So the thousands of students that I had an opportunity to impact certainly have made a lasting impact on me.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), our very capable whip.
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for that not only inspiring but moving speech.
I would say, Madam Speaker, that I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Clyburn's wife. Certainly, all of those tributes are really due to her. We are not only proud of the work that she did but of the life that she led.
Madam Speaker, I say to my colleagues who talked about getting married, I got married at North Carolina A&T to my first spouse. It didn't last all but 6 or so years, at least not that one. But you do have an opportunity to not only interact but to meet folks for a lifetime, and that is really, really important.
I want to mention as well that of all the universities, HBCUs are about 3 percent, yet we educate 10 percent of all students of African American descent. That means that we do a lot with a little. We don't get the kind of equitable funding that we have needed, but clearly, we have continued to press on. These are wonderful examples we have been hearing tonight.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the chair of the Committee on Education and Labor, a gentleman who has worked hard to make education valuable and important also.
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for not only his comments but for his labor and his support for these very fine institutions.
Madam Speaker, I do want to acknowledge the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Karen Bass, who had to leave. She left her comments and asked me to read them, so I am going to do that.
She begins by talking about the Special Order hour tonight and the support that we need to give to our historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions. Congress, she says, must provide mandatory funding for these institutions.
Fighting for historically Black colleges and universities is one of the Congressional Black Caucus' highest priorities because HBCUs are critical contributors to the strength of the Black community and our country.
Many members of our caucus, the CBC, have attended great HBCUs, such as American Baptist College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta, Fisk University, Florida A&M, Howard University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Prairie View A&M University, South Carolina State, Texas Southern University, Tougaloo College, Tuskegee University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Wiley College, among others.
In the 115th Congress, the CBC launched a tour of HBCUs called CBC on the Yard. The goal of the tour was to listen, to involve and mobilize students to effect change in their communities, and to get their thoughts on the direction of the country and the issues that impact their lives. The CBC hosted events at Morehouse College, Xavier University, Bowie State University, and Howard University.
According to the Thurgood Marshall Foundation, HBCUs account for 22 percent of the current bachelor's degrees granted to African Americans. Moreover, among African Americans, 13 percent of CEOs, 40 percent of engineers, 40 percent of healthcare professionals, 50 percent of teachers, 50 percent of non-HBCU professors, 50 percent of lawyers, 80 percent of judges, and 90 percent with bachelor's degrees in STEM subjects graduated from HBCUs.
The economic impact of HBCUs, as the gentlewoman says, is equally impressive. A report by UNCF called ``HBCUs Make America Strong'' said the positive economic impact of historically Black colleges and universities show that HBCUs generate $14.8 billion in economic impact annually.
HBCUs are vital to the students who attend them and to the entire country, which makes use of the valuable skills that these graduates bring to the private and public sectors. Our Nation must continue to invest in HBCUs and minority-serving institutions.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis).
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, let me, first of all, congratulate Ms. Adams on the tremendous leadership that she has been providing to those of us who are concerned about Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as education in general. I certainly thank the gentlewoman for being able to share this moment as we talk about the importance of these very viable, valuable institutions.
I represent a congressional district that has some of the most outstanding educational institutions in the world, without a doubt. We don't have an HBCU in my district, but I was fortunate, as were so many members of my family, on my 16th birthday to enroll in Arkansas AM&N College with no money--as a matter of fact, on credit. I had $20 when I got there in my shirt pocket.
We had a president at the time, Dr. Lawrence Arnette Davis, that all of us just simply called ``Prexy,'' kind of saying that he was a father surrogate and a father figure for every one of us who hit that campus.
My parents were sharecroppers. We lived in rural Arkansas, a very important State because it is the only State in the Bible Noah looked over his ark and saw.
But we were able to have Arkansas AM&N College. Four of my sisters, myself, two of my brothers, three of my nephews, three of my nieces, and an assortment of first cousins all went to UAPB. Even today, in the community where I live, large numbers of students want to go there, and they do.
They go because there is something unique about these institutions. They have the capacity to provide individual attention, in many instances, where larger universities may not have the same. They have the understanding to know that they are individuals who come from environments where they may need a little extra attention and a little extra help, and they provide it.
These are inspirational settings where individuals go and learn their profession, develop their abilities, and know that, when they leave, they leave with the inspiration.
And so, again, commendations. So I end by just thinking of some of the words of our anthem. The person who wrote it said: State college, we greet thee with love and devotion; Our hearts and our treasures we bring to thy shrine. With arms that are strong from all harm, we defend thee; Thy name shall we cherish, dear mother of mine.
We cherish our Historically Black Colleges and Universities and urge that they receive the funding that they need.
Madam Speaker, God bless Representative Adams for leading the charge.
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Davis very much for his eloquent presentation. As I think about many of the songs that we sing at our schools, they have a certain relevance, strength, and meaning for the students that we serve.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who has been out on this battlefield for a very long time. I am so happy to share this hour with her and all of my colleagues.
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for not only her contributions, but the contributions of her family.
I am a proud two-time graduate. My daughter is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, as well, and my grandson decided he wanted to be a Bison, so he is at Howard this year as a freshman. I am just delighted that he has joined the HBCU family.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey--where I grew up--for not only his service there, but for his contributions tonight.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lawson).
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida.
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon).
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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania. I know Cheyney very well. The gentlewoman is right. It was the first university, and I want to congratulate Cheyney on that accomplishment.
When we talk about that, it should not be funding that separates our students in a way that they are not able to get the education that they need. We have had since 1873 18 HBCUs that have closed. All of us who have gotten together tonight and continue to work this area don't want to see another school close, especially because of money.
When you look back at those who have had difficulty, it hasn't been because the academics weren't in order. There are strong academic programs at these colleges and universities, and we want to continue that tradition. We want not only these schools to survive but to thrive. That is really important, and that is where we need to go.
Having said that, I want to read a couple of letters because they are very important. They are from two of my colleagues from the CBC.
The first is from Eddie Bernice Johnson who has been very involved with HBCUs well before I got here, and I want to just thank her for her leadership as well.
She writes, Madam Speaker:
Historically Black colleges and universities, HBCUs, have played an important role in our Nation's history. These places of higher education have given opportunities to millions of young people to get a quality post-secondary education. Many of these students are the first in their family to attend college.
I am proud to say that one of these institutions, Paul Quinn College, is located within my district.
Currently, the top priority for HBCUs is to ensure that they have the resources needed to prepare students for a competitive, globalized workforce. The FUTURE Act, which passed in this Chamber some time ago, does exactly that. The bill reauthorizes critical funding for all minority-serving institutions for the next 2 years.
Sadly, like most of the legislation that has passed the House of Representatives this Congress, the Senate refuses to do their job and vote on this noncontroversial bipartisan bill.
The College Affordability Act, which was introduced in October, would go beyond what the FUTURE Act does and provide HBCUs more flexibility, so that they can strengthen their endowments, academic quality, and institutional management.
The College Affordability Act also provides States with incentives to lower the cost for students to obtain a quality college education by raising the maximum amount for Pell grants and simplifying the student loan repayment program.
These two bills are great examples of what we should strive for to guarantee the best outcome for students attending HBCUs and other MSIs.
Madam Speaker, we need to make sure our higher education system serves all the students that hope to receive a degree. Historically Black colleges and universities, along with other minority-serving institutions, play a vital role for African Americans and other minority students. We need to continue passing legislation that provides true educational opportunities for those who desire to learn and who are unable to afford it.
Madam Speaker, one of my colleagues from Ohio, Representative Marcia Fudge, who is a former CBC chair, states the following:
Madam Speaker, more than one-quarter of all undergraduate students in the United States attend historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. These schools play a critical role in unlocking higher education opportunities for millions of degree seekers, including students of color and low-income students of which many are the first in their family to attend college.
To protect these essential institutions from the threat of closure and financial despair, we must continue to provide them with the resources they need to prepare students for the modern economy.
Title III, part F of the Higher Education Act authorizes important mandatory funding for historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions to educate and prepare students for professions in the sciences, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, fields.
Unfortunately, these critical sources of funding expired on September 30, and this lapse jeopardizes the viability of these institutions, as well as the STEM readiness of the students they serve. At a time when diverse representation is low in the STEM economy, Congress must immediately restore mandatory funding to prevent permanent and irreversible damage to STEM programs at these historical institutions that give students from underserved communities an opportunity to rise above their circumstances.
On September 17, 2019, the House passed the FUTURE Act, an extension of the $255 million in essential mandatory funding for HBCUs and MSIs. Despite receiving unanimous support in the House, the bill has yet to be considered by the Senate, and it was not included in the continuing resolution that passed in November.
So as Congress considers spending bills for next year, we must restore this vital resource of funding that expands opportunities for underrepresented students. It is past time to uphold our promise to support these historic institutions and the students they serve.
Madam Speaker, I want to at this point close with these comments.
First of all, I thank all of my colleagues for their comments tonight, those who have stood up tonight for our Nation's 102 HBCUs, and MSIs.
We are at a critical crossroads tonight. We are in the midst of negotiating a government spending agreement that can confer over $500 million to all HBCUs.
For too long, the schools have dedicated themselves to the futures of low-income, first-generation students of color, like me, who have been neglected by their government. Over the last 50 years, this body has made strides to correct that lack of investment and engagement, but none of those strides came easy. They were achieved in moments when many still questioned the purpose of having schools dedicated to that mission.
I have heard the question asked over and over: Why do we need HBCUs? I will say that my response is: What in the world--and I use another word--would we do without our HBCUs?
When we think about it, as has been stated by several of my colleagues, our schools were achieved in moments when many still questioned the purpose, when Federal and State investments in higher education are still consistently under attack.
Our HBCUs, in particular, still suffer from impacts of historical discrimination and underinvestment, low endowments, outdated infrastructure, a lack of opportunities for growth compared to their PWI counterparts.
The House of Representatives approved $375 million for title III, part B, the Strengthening HBCUs program last summer, the first time this program was appropriated at the authorization limit. It approved $40 million of loan authority for the HBCU Capital Financing Program. It also passed the FUTURE Act, which authorizes $85 million of mandatory funding for HBCUs.
We illustrated our support for HBCUs, and now we need to guarantee that it is in the negotiations with the Senate. We want to make sure, as I said before, that our schools not only survive but that they thrive. When we fight for these programs, we show our belief in the futures of low-income, first-generation students of color.
Madam Speaker, I am proud that I had a mother who stood up for me, in spite of the fact that we didn't have the funds. There was an HBCU in North Carolina that allowed me to come and made that investment in me. I was able to complete my bachelor's and master's degrees there at North Carolina A&T, and then, I was able to go on to receive my Ph.D. from The Ohio State University only because of the North Carolina A&T.
Madam Speaker, let's not give up the fight now. We are going to continue to do it. I thank all of my colleagues, again, for being here tonight.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Support of Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act
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