Senator Tim Scott Secures Another Win for HBCUs

Statement

U.S. Senator Tim Scott announced his efforts to secure more than $46 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The $46 million secured will go towards funding the Department of Defense's HBCU and Minority Institutions Program, which is designed to increase the participation of HBCU and minority students in the Department of Defense's research, development, test, and evaluation programs.

Sen. Scott has been a strong advocate for securing these funds, and led the bipartisan amendment to the NDAA. He also joined Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in sending a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Committee on Armed Services back in July, asking for the increased funding.

Sen. Scott said, "HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions are integral education institutions that provide pipelines to opportunity for scores of students, many of whom come from underserved backgrounds. Funding reductions for the HBCU/MI program would run the risk of reducing access to avenues for participation and engagement in rapid-growth and high-return fields such as science, technology, engineering, and math, where communities of color and low-income students have traditionally been underrepresented. Participants in the HBCU/MI program will undoubtedly continue to play a vital role in assisting the DoD in countering the emerging threats facing our nation."

The NDAA is expected to pass both chambers next week.

Source