House Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. French Hill and Rep. Alma Adams, along with Reps. Richard McCormick and Shomari Figures, introduced the HBCU Research Capacity Act on Apr. 16. The bill aims to improve access for HBCUs to federal research funding by creating a centralized clearinghouse for grant opportunities.
The proposed legislation addresses the longstanding issue that while HBCUs produce a significant share of Black graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, they receive less than one percent of approximately $60 billion in annual federal research and development funds allocated to higher education institutions.
“Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including the four we are blessed to have here in Arkansas, have been a source of opportunity and innovation for generations,” said Rep. Hill. “Despite their outsized contributions, HBCUs receive a fraction of the federal research funding available to them. The HBCU Research Capacity Act takes a practical step toward changing that by ensuring these institutions have the information and tools they need to compete for federal dollars and continue fulfilling their vital mission for generations to come.”
Rep. Adams said: “HBCUs have always punched above their weight. HBCUs contribute nearly $16.5 billion to the economy every year despite receiving less than 1% of federal research funding. That gap isn’t a reflection of merit, it’s a reflection of decades of systemic underfunding… The HBCU Research Capacity Act will help by giving our institutions a clear path to federal grant opportunities.” Congressman McCormick said: “The time to act is now if we want to keep America leading in the world of STEM… I’m proud to co-sponsor the HBCU Research Capacity Act that ensures these students can stay ahead in the global technology race.” Rep. Figures added: “With Alabama being home to the most HBCUs in the nation, this bill is a game-changer… I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation.”
The bill would create an online clearinghouse with up-to-date information on grants across agencies; provide best practices; coordinate among agencies; promote transparency through reporting; review programs for gaps affecting participation; and encourage accountability through regular updates.
Rep. McCormick represents Georgia’s 6th district after defeating Bob Christian with nearly 65 percent of votes according to Ballotpedia. He has served since replacing Lucy McBath in 2023 according to Congress.gov. Born in Las Vegas in 1968, he currently lives in Suwanee as reported by House.gov, holds degrees from Oregon State University (1990) and National University (2010), according to Wikipedia.
Lawmakers say this initiative could help close persistent funding gaps facing historically Black colleges while supporting continued contributions from these institutions.
