Bipartisan Bill Boosts HBCUs with Federal Research Funding

0:00Senators Katie Britt and Rafael Warnock are teaming up on a bipartisan bill to boost historically black colleges and universities. The legislation focuses on helping these schools tap into federal research funding more easily. Right now, HBCUs get less than 1% of those dollars, even though they play a big role in education and building the workforce. The key feature of the bill is a new centralized website. It would let HBCUs staff search for grants and handle applications all in one spot. Lawmakers say this could level the playing field and bring more resources to these vital institutions. More than 30 leaders from HBCUs showed up for the announcement. They praised the effort as a real move to open doors for students across the country. These schools have long punched above their weight in producing talent. This push highlights ongoing gaps in how federal funds reach minority serving colleges. Those argue it could spark more innovation in research at HBCUs without adding bureaucracy.

1:00As the bill heads to Congress, it underscores growing cross-party interest and equity for higher education. Local news, powered by AI? This is Birmingham News Today.