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Floor Speech

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Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the University Centers for Growth, Development, and Prosperity Act, which I reintroduced today.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration created the University Center Program to allow institutions of higher education and consortia to establish and maintain university centers, with the understanding that our higher education institutions play a critical role in our Nation's economic growth.

University centers are Federal partnerships that leverage the assets of higher learning institutions to strengthen regional economic growth by promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation. They encourage economic development in economically distressed regions, which helps spur job growth, high-skilled regional talent pools, and business expansion.

Despite EDA's important work, many communities across the country have yet to benefit from the Agency's programs, including smaller communities, communities of color, and rural areas experiencing higher rates of poverty.

Despite being one of EDA's most successful economic development initiatives, the current University Center Program is not officially authorized by Congress and is currently administered under EDA's Technical Assistance Program. That is why I am proud to reintroduce legislation that would codify and expand the University Center Program, leverage more resources for minority-serving institutions, and support a greater diversity of innovation and entrepreneurship in their communities.

California has several thriving institutions, including Cal State Chico, Cal State Bakersfield, and University of Southern California, that will be able to scale their impact as a result of these new resources. By prioritizing the establishment of new university centers at colleges and universities that serve significant populations of underserved students, we can further strengthen regional economies and help close the racial wealth gap.

Specifically, the bill establishes an EDA University Center Program to help universities collaborate with economic development districts, trade adjustment assistance centers, and other economic development technical assistance and service providers to develop and implement comprehensive economic development strategies and other economic development planning at the local, regional, and State levels, with a focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development.

It also prioritizes the participation of minority-serving institutions as part of the University Center Program. Minority-serving institutions provide incredible opportunities for so many low-income and first-generation students. I am proud that my State of California is home to 174 Hispanic-serving institutions and 51 emerging Hispanic- serving institutions, the highest amount in the country.

As a Senator representing one of the most diverse States in the country, I am eager to work with my colleagues to ensure that we improve the equity of EDA programming and help increase the participation of minority-serving institutions.

As the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works continues to draft an EDA reauthorization bill, I urge them to include this legislation to expand and improve the University Center Program.

I want to thank Congressman Pete Aguilar for introducing this bill with me, and I hope my colleagues will join me in support of this program that benefits almost every State.

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