To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for additional uses of funds for grants to strengthen historically Black colleges and universities, and for other purposes.
Sponsored By: Representative Adams
Introduced
Summary
Would expand how federal HBCU grants can be used so colleges can fund arts, arts education, and cultural preservation and partner with the National Endowment for the Arts. This bill adds new allowable uses for grants and a formal NEA partnership option, and it defines “arts” for those purposes.
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- Students: Would allow direct financial and wraparound support for arts students, including mentorship, counseling, work-based learning, and well-paid apprenticeships, internships, and fellowships.
- HBCU arts programs and collections: Would fund outreach and development offices for arts departments and authorize exhibiting, maintaining, monitoring, and protecting Black art collections. The bill cites a historical underfunding gap of about $12.6 billion over 30 years.
- Arts organizations and the NEA: Would create a clear pathway for HBCUs to partner with the National Endowment for the Arts to run these programs and expand paid opportunities.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More arts support for HBCU students
If enacted, HBCUs that receive Section 323 grants could use funds for arts and culture programs. Students in arts programs could get financial help and well-paid apprenticeships, internships, or fellowships with nonprofit arts groups. Schools could offer mentoring, work-based learning, guidance counseling, and career advising. They could also exhibit, maintain, monitor, and protect Black art collections, and set up outreach and development for arts departments. Schools could partner with the National Endowment for the Arts to run these activities, with changes taking effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Adams
NC • D
Cosponsors
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Crockett
TX • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]
OH • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]
LA • D
Sponsored 4/28/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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