S. 461 

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty 

An Act 

To strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of historically Black colleges and 

universities through robust public-sector, private-sector, and community partnerships and engagement, 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. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act’’ or 

the ‘‘HBCU PARTNERS Act’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

(1) As many colleges and universities across the country 

kept their doors closed to African American applicants, historically Black colleges and universities (referred to in this section 

as ‘‘HBCUs’’) played a central role in ensuring that African 

Americans could attain an excellent education. 

(2) Today, HBCUs continue to play a critical role in 

ensuring that African Americans, and those of all races, can 

access high-quality educational opportunities. 

(3) HBCUs enroll nearly 300,000 students, an estimated 

70 percent of whom come from low-income backgrounds and 

80 percent of whom are African American. 

(4) According to the National Association For Equal Opportunity In Higher Education (referred to in this section as 

‘‘NAFEO’’), HBCUs make up just 3 percent of American institutions of higher education but serve more than a fifth of African 

American college students. 

(5) According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund 

(referred to in this section as ‘‘TMCF’’), approximately 9 percent 

of all African American college students attend HBCUs. 

(6) A March 2017 report from the Education Trust concluded that HBCUs have higher completion rates for African 

American students than other institutions serving similar student populations. 

(7) According to TMCF, 40 percent of African American 

Members of Congress, 50 percent of African American lawyers, 

and 80 percent of African American judges are graduates of 

HBCUs. 

(8) According to NAFEO, HBCUs graduate approximately 

50 percent of African American public school teaching professionals. 
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(9) According to the United Negro College Fund (referred 

to in this section as ‘‘UNCF’’), African American graduates 

of HBCUs are almost twice as likely as African Americans 

who graduated from other institutions to report that their 

university prepared them well for life. 

(10) According to a study commissioned by UNCF, in 2014, 

HBCUs generated a total direct economic impact of 

$14,800,000,000 and created more than 134,000 jobs. 

(11) According to a 2019 report produced by the American 

Council on Education and UNCF, despite efforts to counter 

a historical legacy of inequitable funding and notable investments by the Federal Government and many State governments, resource inequities continue to plague HBCUs. 

(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 

(1) to strengthen the capacity and competitiveness of 

HBCUs to fulfill their principal mission of equalizing educational opportunity, as described in section 301(b) of the 

Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051(b)); 

(2) to align HBCUs with the educational and economic 

competitiveness priorities of the United States; 

(3) to provide students enrolled at HBCUs with the highest 

quality educational and economic opportunities; 

(4) to bolster and facilitate productive interactions between 

HBCUs and Federal agencies; and 

(5) to encourage HBCU participation in and benefit from 

Federal programs, grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. 

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) APPLICABLE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘applicable agency’’ 

means— 

(A) the Department of Agriculture; 

(B) the Department of Commerce; 

(C) the Department of Defense; 

(D) the Department of Education; 

(E) the Department of Energy; 

(F) the Department of Health and Human Services; 

(G) the Department of Homeland Security; 

(H) the Department of Housing and Urban Development; 

(I) the Department of the Interior; 

(J) the Department of Justice; 

(K) the Department of Labor; 

(L) the Department of State; 

(M) the Department of Transportation; 

(N) the Department of Treasury; 

(O) the Department of Veterans Affairs; 

(P) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; 

(Q) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; 

(R) the National Science Foundation; 

(S) the Small Business Administration; and 

(T) any other Federal agency designated as an 

applicable agency under section 4. 
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(2) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Executive Director’’ 

means— 

(A) the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as 

designated by the President; or 

(B) if no such Executive Director is designated, such 

person as the President may designate to lead the White 

House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 

(3) HBCU.—The term ‘‘HBCU’’ means a historically Black 

college or university. 

(4) HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.—The 

term ‘‘historically Black college or university’’ has the meaning 

given the term ‘‘part B institution’’ under section 322 of the 

Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 

(5) PRESIDENT’S BOARD OF ADVISORS.—The term ‘‘President’s Board of Advisors’’ means the President’s Board of 

Advisors on historically Black colleges and universities. 

(6) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise provided, the term 

‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of Education. 

(7) WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE.—The term ‘‘White House Initiative’’ means the White House Initiative on historically Black 

colleges and universities. 

SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING HBCUS THROUGH FEDERAL AGENCY PLANS. 

(a) DESIGNATING APPLICABLE AGENCIES.—The Secretary, in consultation with the Executive Director, shall— 

(1) identify each Federal agency with which an HBCU— 

(A) has entered into a grant, contract, or cooperative 

agreement; or 

(B) is eligible to participate in the programs and initiatives under the jurisdiction of such Federal agency; and 

(2) designate each Federal agency so identified as an 

applicable agency. 

(b) SUBMITTING AGENCY PLANS.—Not later than February 1 

of each year, the head of each applicable agency shall submit 

to the Secretary, the Executive Director, the Committee on Health, 

Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on 

Education and Labor of the House of Representatives, and the 

President’s Board of Advisors an annual Agency Plan describing 

efforts to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to participate or be 

eligible to participate in the programs and initiatives under the 

jurisdiction of such applicable agency as described in subsection 

(a)(1)(B). 

(c) FURTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION AND ACCESSIBILITY.—The Executive Director shall make all annual Agency Plan 

submissions publicly available online in a user-friendly format. 

(d) AGENCY PLAN CONTENT.—Where appropriate, each Agency 

Plan shall include— 

(1) a description of how the applicable agency intends to 

increase the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for 

grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements; 

(2) an identification of Federal programs and initiatives 

under the jurisdiction of the applicable agency in which HBCUs 

are underrepresented; 

(3) an outline of proposed efforts to improve HBCUs’ participation in such programs and initiatives; 
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(4) a description of any progress made towards advancing 

or achieving goals and efforts from previous Agency Plans submitted under this section by such applicable agency; 

(5) a description of how the applicable agency plans to 

encourage public-sector, private-sector, and community involvement to improve the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively 

for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, and to participate in programs and initiatives under the jurisdiction of such 

agency; 

(6) an identification of programs and initiatives not listed 

in a previous Agency Plan in which an HBCU may participate; 

(7) any other information the applicable agency determines 

is relevant to promoting opportunities to fund, partner, contract, 

or otherwise interact with HBCUs; and 

(8) any additional criteria established by the Secretary 

or the White House Initiative. 

(e) AGENCY ENGAGEMENT.—To help fulfill the objectives of the 

Agency Plans, the head of each applicable agency— 

(1) shall provide, as appropriate, technical assistance and 

information to the Executive Director to enhance communication with HBCUs concerning the applicable agency’s— 

(A) programs and initiatives described in subsection 

(d)(2); and 

(B) the preparation of applications or proposals for 

grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements; and 

(2) shall appoint a senior official to report directly to the 

agency head on the applicable agency’s progress under this 

section. 

SEC. 5. PRESIDENT’S BOARD OF ADVISORS ON HBCUS. 

(a) ADMINISTRATION.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established the President’s Board 

of Advisors on historically Black colleges and universities in 

the Department of Education or, if the President so elects, 

within the Executive Office of the President. 

(2) FUNDING FROM ED.—Except as provided in paragraph 

(3), the Secretary shall provide funding and administrative 

support for the President’s Board of Advisors, subject to the 

availability of appropriations. 

(3) FUNDING FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT.—If the President elects to locate the President’s Board 

of Advisors within the Executive Office of the President, the 

Executive Office of the President shall provide funding and 

administrative support for the President’s Board of Advisors, 

subject to the availability of appropriations. 

(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall appoint not more 

than 23 members to the President’s Board of Advisors, and 

the Secretary and Executive Director or their designees shall 

serve as ex officio members. 

(2) CHAIR.— 

(A) DESIGNATION.—The President shall designate one 

member of the President’s Board of Advisors to serve as 

its Chair, who shall help direct the Board’s work in 

coordination with the Secretary and in consultation with 

the Executive Director. 
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(B) CONSULTATION.—The Chair shall also consult with 

the Executive Director regarding the time and location 

of meetings of the President’s Board of Advisors, which 

shall take place not less frequently than once every 6 

months. 

(C) PERFORMANCE.—Insofar as the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) may apply to the President’s 

Board of Advisors, any functions of the President under 

such Act, except for those of reporting to the Congress, 

shall be performed by the Chair, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services. 

(3) COMPENSATION.—Members of the President’s Board of 

Advisors shall serve without compensation, but shall be 

reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu 

of subsistence, as authorized by law. 

(c) MISSION AND FUNCTIONS.—The President’s Board of Advisors 

shall advise the President, through the White House Initiative, 

on all matters pertaining to strengthening the educational capacity 

of HBCUs, which shall include the following: 

(1) Improving the identity, visibility, distinctive capabilities, and overall competitiveness of HBCUs. 

(2) Engaging the philanthropic, business, government, military, homeland-security, and education communities in a 

national dialogue regarding new HBCU programs and initiatives. 

(3) Improving the ability of HBCUs to remain fiscally 

secure institutions that can assist the Nation in achieving 

its educational goals and in advancing the interests of all 

Americans. 

(4) Elevating the public awareness of, and fostering appreciation of, HBCUs. 

(5) Encouraging public-private investments in HBCUs. 

(6) Improving government-wide strategic planning related 

to HBCU competitiveness to align Federal resources and provide the context for decisions about HBCU partnerships, investments, performance goals, priorities, human capital development, and budget planning. 
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(d) REPORT.—The President’s Board of Advisors shall report 

annually to the President on the Board’s progress in carrying out 

its duties under this section. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.