119-hr2664

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2664 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2664

 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.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 7, 2025

 Ms. Adams (for herself, Ms. Crockett, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mrs. 
Beatty, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Norton, Ms. Stansbury, Ms. Wilson of Florida, 
Ms. Sewell, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mrs. Foushee, Mr. Carson, and Mr. 
 Frost) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 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.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) According to a 2021 study by Americans for the Arts, 
 the arts are an invaluable aspect of American society, as they 
 strengthen the economy, improve healthcare, spark creativity 
 and innovation, and unify communities, with 73 percent of 
 participants agreeing that the arts help them to better 
 understand other cultures.

    (2) Many United States museums are grappling with 
 diversity. Studies report that only 1.4 percent of artists 
 featured in America's top museums are black, only 4 percent of 
 staff directors at top museums are Black, and that only 2.5 
 percent of Black Americans are owners of Arts-Entertainment 
 business.

    (3) Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, 
 are uniquely positioned to produce a diverse generation of art 
 professionals and help bring much needed attention to works by 
 Black artists. HBCUs have historically served as long-standing 
 conservators and crucial supporters of Black art and for the 
 teaching, supporting, and displaying of essential Black artists 
 who may otherwise have remained unrecognized.

    (4) Arts programs and arts departments are expensive and 
 have often fallen victim to funding shortfalls. In 2018, the 
 College Art Association reported that at least 18 institutions 
 of higher education planned to severely curtail or eliminate 
 their arts departments.

    (5) HBCUs have also been underfunded by $12,600,000,000 
 compared to their predominantly White counterparts over the 
 last 30 years. Some HBCUs have shrunk, consolidated, or cut 
 their arts programs due to limited resources.

    (6) An increased investment in HBCU arts, arts education, 
 and culture programs can further help students of color access 
 an affordable arts education and ensure the continued 
 preparation, conservation, display, and study of works by Black 
 artists.

SEC. 2. STRENGTHENING HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

 

Section 323 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1062) is 
amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a) ,
        (A) by redesignating paragraphs

    (14) and

    (15) as 
 paragraphs

    (19) and

    (20) , respectively; and
        (B) by inserting after paragraph

    (13) the 
 following:
 ``

    (14) Providing financial and other assistance to students 
 in arts, arts education, and cultural programs.
 ``

    (15) Establishing outreach programs and development 
 offices for arts, arts education, and cultural departments.
 ``

    (16) Providing comprehensive wraparound services for 
 arts, arts education, and cultural students, including faculty 
 and peer mentorship, work-based learning opportunities, 
 guidance counseling, and career advising.
 ``

    (17) Exhibiting, maintaining, monitoring, and protecting 
 Black art collections in exhibition and in storage.
 ``

    (18) Providing well-paid apprenticeship, internship, and 
 fellowship opportunities to students in arts, arts education, 
 and cultural programs through partnerships with nonprofit arts, 
 arts education, and cultural institutes.''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (d) National Endowment for the Arts.--An institution may enter 
into a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts to carry 
out the activities described in paragraphs

    (14) through

    (18) of 
subsection

    (a) .
 ``

    (e) 

=== Definition. ===
-In this section, the term `arts' means art forms 
used for self-expression and interpretation, including performance, 
literary, visual, graphic, plastic, and decorative arts.''.
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