[Pages S1278-S1279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

By Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr.
Perdue, Mr. Jones, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Harris, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr.
Kaine, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Booker,
Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Warren, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Braun):
S. 461. A bill to strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of
historically Black colleges and universities through robust public-
sector, private-sector, and community partnerships and engagement, and
for other purposes; considered and passed.

S. 461

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``HBCU Propelling Agency
Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act''
or the ``HBCU PARTNERS Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) As many colleges and universities across the country
kept their doors closed to African American applicants,
historically Black colleges and universities (referred to in
this section as ``HBCUs'') played a central role in ensuring
that African Americans could attain an excellent education.
(2) Today, HBCUs continue to play a critical role in
ensuring that African Americans, and those of all races, can
access high-quality educational opportunities.
(3) HBCUs enroll nearly 300,000 students, an estimated 70
percent of whom come from low-income backgrounds and 80
percent of whom are African American.
(4) According to the National Association For Equal
Opportunity In Higher Education, HBCUs make up just 3 percent
of American institutions of higher education but serve more
than a fifth of African American college students.
(5) A March 2017 report from the Education Trust concluded
that HBCUs have higher completion rates for African American
students than other institutions serving similar student
populations.
(6) In 2014, HBCUs generated a total direct economic impact
of $14,800,000,000 and created more than 134,000 jobs,
according to a study commissioned by the United Negro College
Fund (referred to in this section as ``UNCF'').
(7) According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
(referred to in this section as ``TMCF''), 40 percent of
African American Members of Congress, 50 percent of African
American lawyers, and 80 percent of African American judges
are graduates of HBCUs.
(8) According to UNCF, in 2013, HBCUs awarded a quarter of
all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans.
(9) According to TMCF, approximately 9 percent of all
African American college students attend HBCUs.
(10) According to UNCF, African American graduates of HBCUs
are almost twice as likely as African Americans who graduated
from other institutions to report that their university
prepared them well for life.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of HBCUs
to fulfill their principal mission of equalizing educational
opportunity, as described in section 301(b) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051(b));
(2) to align HBCUs with the educational and economic
competitiveness priorities of the United States;
(3) to provide students enrolled at HBCUs with the highest
quality educational and economic opportunities;
(4) to bolster and facilitate productive interactions
between HBCUs and Federal agencies; and
(5) to encourage HBCU participation in and benefit from
Federal programs, grants, contracts, and cooperative
agreements.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Applicable agency.--The term ``applicable agency''
means any Federal agency designated by the Secretary, in
accordance with section 4.
(2) Executive director.--The term ``Executive Director''
means--
(A) the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as designated
by the President; or
(B) if no such Executive Director is designated, such
person as the President may designate to lead the White House
Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
(3) HBCU.--The term ``HBCU'' means a historically Black
college or university.
(4) Historically black college or university.--The term
``historically Black college or university'' has the meaning
given the term ``part B institution'' under section 322 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
(5) President's board of advisors.--The term ``President's
Board of Advisors'' means the President's Board of Advisors
on historically Black colleges and universities.
(6) Secretary.--Except as otherwise provided, the term
``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Education.
(7) White house initiative.--The term ``White House
Initiative'' means the White House Initiative on historically
Black colleges and universities.

SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING HBCUS THROUGH FEDERAL AGENCY PLANS.

(a) Designating Applicable Agencies.--The Secretary, in
consultation with the Executive Director, shall identify
those Federal agencies that regularly interact with HBCUs and
designate them as applicable agencies.
(b) Submitting Agency Plans.--Not later than February 1 of
each year, the head of each applicable agency shall submit to
the Secretary and the Executive Director an annual Agency
Plan describing efforts to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs
to participate in relevant Federal programs and initiatives
under the jurisdiction of the applicable agency.
(c) Further Requirements for Submission and
Accessibility.--The head of each applicable agency shall
submit each annual Agency Plan described in subsection (b) to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of
the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the
House of Representatives.
(d) Agency Plan Content.--Where appropriate, each Agency
Plan shall, among other things--
(1) establish how the applicable agency intends to increase
the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for grants,
contracts, or cooperative agreements;
(2) identify Federal programs and initiatives under the
jurisdiction of the applicable agency where HBCUs are not
well-represented;
(3) outline proposed efforts to improve HBCUs'
participation in such programs and initiatives in which they
are underrepresented;
(4) describe any progress made towards advancing or
achieving goals and efforts from previous Agency Plans;
(5) encourage public-sector, private-sector, and community
involvement in improving the capacity of HBCUs; and
(6) meet, where relevant, any additional criteria
established by the Secretary or the White House Initiative.
(e) Agency Engagement.--To help fulfill the objectives of
the Agency Plans, the head of each applicable agency--
(1) may provide, as appropriate, technical assistance and
information to the Executive Director to enhance
communication with HBCUs concerning the applicable agency's
program activities and the preparation of applications or
proposals for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements;
and
(2) shall appoint a senior official to report directly to
the agency head on the applicable agency's progress under
this section.

SEC. 5. PRESIDENT'S BOARD OF ADVISORS ON HBCUS.

(a) Administration.--
(1) In general.--There is established the President's Board
of Advisors on historically Black colleges and universities
in the Department of Education or, if the President so
elects, within the Executive Office of the President.
(2) Funding from ed.--Except as provided in paragraph (3),
the Secretary shall provide funding and administrative
support for the President's Board of Advisors, subject to the
availability of appropriations.
(3) Funding from the executive office of the president.--If
the President elects to locate the President's Board of
Advisors within the Executive Office of the President, the
Executive Office of the President shall provide funding and
administrative support for the President's Board of Advisors,
subject to the availability of appropriations.
(b) Membership.--The President shall appoint not more than
23 members to the President's Board of Advisors, and the
Secretary and Executive Director or their designees shall
serve as ex officio members. The President shall designate
one member of the President's Board of Advisors to serve as
its Chair, who shall help direct the Board's work in
coordination with the Secretary and in

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consultation with the Executive Director. The Chair shall
also consult with the Executive Director regarding the time
and location of meetings of the President's Board of
Advisors, which shall take place not less frequently than
once every 6 months. Members of the President's Board of
Advisors shall serve without compensation, but shall be
reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, as authorized by law. Insofar as the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) may apply to the
Board, any functions of the President under such Act, except
for those of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by
the Chair, in accordance with guidelines issued by the
Administrator of General Services.
(c) Mission and Functions.--The President's Board of
Advisors shall advise the President, through the White House
Initiative, on all matters pertaining to strengthening the
educational capacity of HBCUs. In particular, the President's
Board of Advisors shall advise the President in the following
areas:
(1) Improving the identity, visibility, distinctive
capabilities, and overall competitiveness of HBCUs.
(2) Engaging the philanthropic, business, government,
military, homeland-security, and education communities in a
national dialogue regarding new HBCU programs and
initiatives.
(3) Improving the ability of HBCUs to remain fiscally
secure institutions that can assist the Nation in achieving
its educational goals and in advancing the interests of all
Americans.
(4) Elevating the public awareness of, and fostering
appreciation of, HBCUs.
(5) Encouraging public-private investments in HBCUs.
(6) Improving government-wide strategic planning related to
HBCU competitiveness to align Federal resources and provide
the context for decisions about HBCU partnerships,
investments, performance goals, priorities, human capital
development and budget planning.
(d) Report.--The President's Board of Advisors shall report
annually to the President on the Board's progress in carrying
out its duties under this section.
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