Congressman Anthony Brown: The Department Of Defense's FY2023 Budget Neglects Essential Investment In HBCUs

Statement

Congressman Anthony G. Brown (MD-04) released the following statement in response to inadequate Department of Defense research funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions in President Biden's newly released proposed budget. The Department of Defense only requested $33 million, half of the average enacted level over the last five years:

"There is a bipartisan consensus that close partnerships between HBCUs and the Department of Defense are critical to protecting our country and advancing scientific discovery, by engaging a burgeoning, diverse talent pool that too often has been overlooked. I am confounded that the Department of Defense still does not recognize the importance of fostering an inclusive defense research community. Our diversity is our strength and we need to be doing everything in our power to compete and win the future.

"HBCUs produce 37 percent of African American officers commissioned through ROTC, and 25 percent of the African Americans with STEM degrees. Throughout my service in Congress, I've championed additional resources for HBCU-DOD partnerships as essential to fostering the diverse workforce we need. Congress has consistently funded this program on a bipartisan basis and increased it every year. The record levels enacted in FY2022 still fall far short of the needed investment for equity for these institutions. For the Department to request such a low figure is absurd and appalling."

This week, HBCU leaders and advocates are gathering on Capitol Hill for the 5th Annual HBCU STEAM Days of Action.

In FY2018, HBCUs received less than one-half of a percent of all Department of Defense research dollars. Congressman Brown championed and helped enact funding for the HBCU/MI basic research account at an average level of $63 million since FY2018, including $80 million in FY2021 and $102 million in FY2022. The Department of Defense is required by 10 U.S.C. 2362 to use these funds to expand research capabilities at these institutions and expand the diverse talent pool of STEM professionals in our country.

Congressman Brown previously passed substantial provisions of the HOMECOMING Research Act into law as part of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act, to identify ways to increase research opportunities for minority universities in the Department of Defense. The national study required by this law to review defense research conducted by HBCUs, provide recommendations for increasing capacity, and address disparities in funding to these institutions is currently underway and expected to be released in April.

Source