HBCU Research Capacity Act
Sponsored By: Representative Hill, J. French [R-AR-2]
Introduced
Summary
Federal Clearinghouse on Grant Opportunities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities would be set up in the Department of Education to catalog federal research and capacity-building grants for Part B institutions and share best practices. It would be staffed and run in coordination with Commerce, Energy, Defense, Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and NASA.
Show full summary
- Part B institutions and HBCUs get a single federal resource listing grants they are eligible for or exclusively eligible for, plus best practices to build research capacity and an option for quarterly updates.
- Eight federal agencies must annually review their grant programs, flag gaps where no program supports Clearinghouse recommendations, and report those findings to congressional committees.
- The Secretary of Education must notify each Part B institution when the Clearinghouse is published and provide Congress with annual reports on the Clearinghouse contents.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Agencies review grants for HBCUs
If enacted, the bill would require Education, Commerce, Energy, Defense, Agriculture, NSF, EPA, and NASA to review their grant programs each year. Agencies would identify grants that could be used to implement Clearinghouse best practices and note where no matching grant exists. Each agency would report those findings annually to the appropriate congressional committees.
Grant clearinghouse for HBCUs
If enacted, this bill would direct the Education Secretary to create a federal Clearinghouse listing research and capacity-building grant opportunities for part B institutions (HBCUs). The Clearinghouse would say which grants HBCUs can apply for and which are exclusive to them. It would include best practices and recommendations to help colleges build research programs and access federal funding. The Secretary could assign staff and accept detailed personnel from several agencies to run the Clearinghouse.
Notifications and quarterly updates
If enacted, the bill would require the Education Secretary to notify each part B institution and Congress when the Clearinghouse is published. The Secretary would also send an annual report to Congress on Clearinghouse contents. Each institution could opt in to receive quarterly Clearinghouse updates, and the Secretary would send those updates to institutions that choose them.
Paperwork and advisory exemptions
If enacted, the bill would exempt Clearinghouse rulemaking and required information collection from the Paperwork Reduction Act. It would also exempt Clearinghouse activities from the Federal Advisory Committee Act for purposes of carrying out the Clearinghouse. Those exemptions would apply only to activities required under the Clearinghouse section.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hill, J. French [R-AR-2]
AR • R
Cosponsors
Adams
NC • D
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7]
GA • R
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2]
AL • D
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]
UT • R
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov