|
Brown Applauds Senate Passage of FUTURE Act
Senator
Pushed for Passage of Bipartisan FUTURE Act, which Senate
Republicans had Previously Blocked
Legislation Would Extend
Critical Funding for HBCUs, Minority Serving Institutions,
Tribal Colleges and Universities
This month, U.S. Senator
Sherrod Brown (D-OH) applauded Senate passage of the
Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for
Education (FUTURE) Act, bipartisan legislation to extend
Title III mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCUs), Minority Servicing Intuitions (MSIs),
and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Mandatory funding for
these institutions lapsed on September 30, and is a critical
funding stream for colleges and universities like Central
State University and Wilberforce University. The House
passed the FUTURE Act in September and Brown pushed for
passage on the senate floor multiple times, as Republicans
repeatedly rejected efforts to extend the funding.
This week, a bipartisan
group of senators came to an agreement to amend the FUTURE
Act and advance the legislation. The amended FUTURE Act
would restore and permanently extend the $255 million in
annual funding for MSIs and HBCUs. The permanent extension
is paid for by including the FAFSA Act, a bill that passed
the Senate unanimously last Congress. The FAFSA Act would
simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
would eliminate unnecessary paperwork for the 7.7 million
federal student loan borrowers currently on income-driven
repayment plans by automating income recertification. The
House must now act to advance the amended FUTURE Act.
"Historically Black Colleges
and Universities, like Wilberforce and Central State in
Ohio, fostered generations of black leaders and are a
critical part of our nation's higher education system," said
Brown. "I urge my colleagues to stand with our HBCUs and
Minority Serving Institutions, so we can secure the future
of these institutions for our students and communities."
In November, Brown joined
his is colleagues in calling for Senate passage of the
FUTURE Act. Republicans once again blocked this effort to
pass the legislation and counter offered with a piecemeal
approach to revising the Higher Education Act that had no
path forward, which Brown rejected.
Prior to the September 30
deadline, Brown initially called for Senate passage of the
FUTURE Act. Brown also joined Senate Democrats in urging
Senate Leadership to call a vote on the legislation earlier
this month.
While this is an important
step forwarding and securing high education opportunities,
Congress must continue to work on a comprehensive
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
|
