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The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill last week that will restore funding for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) nationwide.
According to CNN, the bill, known as the FUTURE Act (or Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education), was passed last month by the House of Representatives after federal funding expired on October 1st.
READ MORE: Senate approves bills to strengthen federal support for HBCU’s
On Dec. 5, the Senate passed the bill, which will provide $255 million annually, by unanimous consent to permanently fund HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions.
In November, 38 senators had sent an open letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, stressing the importance of them allowing immediate consideration of the legislation.
The letter notes that the funding “is a lifeline for these institutions to strengthen their academic, administrative, and fiscal capacities.”
We oftentimes talk about the importance of keeping the American dream alive and well. By supporting our HBCUs and simplifying FAFSA, the passage of the FUTURE Act today opens the door of opportunity for so many young people to walk through. pic.twitter.com/W10z53moat
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) December 5, 2019
READ MORE: Oprah Winfrey gifts HBCUs with $1.15 million at United Negro College Fund event
In addition to the financial assistance, this measure will also help simplify the FAFSA application process for federal student aid by removing up to 22 questions and getting rid of the “bureaucratic verification nightmare” that previously required some students to verify IRS documents with the U.S. Education Department before their aid could be released.
Senate Education Chairman Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, who helped sponsor the bill, applauded the new legislation on his website, sharing that the bill will in effect fund itself as it stands to save taxpayers a whopping $2.8 billion over the next decade alone.
“It is hard to think of a piece of legislation that would have more of a lasting impact on minority students [and] their families than this bill,” Alexander said in a statement. “First, it provides permanent funding for HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions attended by over 2 million minority students. Second, it takes a big first step in simplifying the FAFSA for 20 million American families, including 8 million minority students, and eliminating the bureaucratic nightmare created by requiring students to give the federal government the same information twice.”
READ MORE: The University of the Virgin Islands becomes the first HBCU to offer students free tuition
First Lady Ivanka Trump also praised the newly passed bill and tweeted her support saying the White House stands ready to sign the bill into law.
Let’s put an end to any debate on our responsibility to strengthen HBCU’s + Minority Serving Institutions – and fulfill our promise to these schools once & for all!
Congrats to the Senate on taking this huge step forward. The @WhiteHouse stands ready to sign into law!
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) December 5, 2019
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