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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2977 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2977

To direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Comptroller General of the 
 United States to study the feasibility of Historically Black Colleges 
          and Universities achieving a certain classification.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 28 (legislative day, September 22), 2023

Mr. Warnock (for himself and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Comptroller General of the 
 United States to study the feasibility of Historically Black Colleges 
          and Universities achieving a certain classification.

    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 ``Increase America's Research Capacity 
Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Historically black college or university.--The term 
        ``Historically Black College or University'' means a part B 
        institution described in section 322(2) of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)).
            (2) R1 institution.--The term ``R1 institution'' means an 
        institution classified as an R1 doctoral university, according 
        to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher 
        Education framework as the framework exists on the date of 
        enactment of this Act, by the issuer of the framework.

SEC. 3. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF HISTORICALLY 
              BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ACHIEVING A CERTAIN 
              CLASSIFICATION.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall prepare a study on the institutional challenges 
        and barriers hindering Historically Black Colleges and 
        Universities from achieving, and the feasibility of the 
        colleges and universities achieving, classification as an R1 
        institution.
            (2) Contents.--In preparing the study, the Comptroller 
        General may--
                    (A) examine topics including--
                            (i) funding opportunities and resource 
                        allocation required for Historically Black 
                        Colleges and Universities to enhance their 
                        research infrastructure and capacity, focusing 
                        on the opportunities and resources of Federal 
                        research agencies, including the Office of 
                        Science and Technology Policy, the National 
                        Institute of Standards and Technology of the 
                        Department of Commerce, and similar offices of 
                        the Department of Commerce;
                            (ii) strategies for Historically Black 
                        Colleges and Universities to recruit and retain 
                        highly qualified faculty with strong research 
                        backgrounds;
                            (iii) best practices and successful models 
                        employed by R1 institutions (as of the date the 
                        study is completed) that Historically Black 
                        Colleges and Universities can adopt; and
                            (iv) analyses of--
                                    (I) which Historically Black 
                                Colleges and Universities have transfer 
                                agreements for their graduates with R1 
                                institutions, and how many graduates 
                                attend R1 institutions under those 
                                agreements;
                                    (II) which institutions of higher 
                                education are feeder institutions of 
                                Black students into programs at R1 
                                institutions; and
                                    (III) what role undergraduate 
                                Historically Black Colleges and 
                                Universities play in preparing students 
                                to attend an R1 institution; and
                    (B) prepare recommendations for Federal support and 
                initiatives to facilitate the advancement of 
                Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 
                research and innovation.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report containing 
the results of the study, and recommendations for such legislative and 
administrative action as the Comptroller General determines to be 
appropriate, to the appropriate committees of Congress and the 
Congressional Research Service.
                                 <all>
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