II 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Increase America’s Re5 search Capacity Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE OR UNI2 VERSITY.—The term ‘‘Historically Black College or 

3 University’’ means a part B institution described in 

4 section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

5 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)). 

6 (2) R1 INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘R1 institu7 tion’’ means an institution classified as an R1 doc8 toral university, according to the Carnegie Classi9 fication of Institutions of Higher Education frame10 work as the framework exists on the date of enact11 ment of this Act, by the issuer of the framework. 

12 SEC. 3. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON THE FEASI13 BILITY OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES 

14 AND UNIVERSITIES ACHIEVING A CERTAIN 

15 CLASSIFICATION. 

16 (a) STUDY.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of 

18 the United States shall prepare a study on the insti19 tutional challenges and barriers hindering Histori20 cally Black Colleges and Universities from achieving, 

21 and the feasibility of the colleges and universities 

22 achieving, classification as an R1 institution. 

23 (2) CONTENTS.—In preparing the study, the 

24 Comptroller General may— 

25 (A) examine topics including— 


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1 (i) funding opportunities and resource 

2 allocation required for Historically Black 

3 Colleges and Universities to enhance their 

4 research infrastructure and capacity, fo5 cusing on the opportunities and resources 

6 of Federal research agencies, including the 

7 Office of Science and Technology Policy, 

8 the National Institute of Standards and 

9 Technology of the Department of Com10 merce, and similar offices of the Depart11 ment of Commerce; 

12 (ii) strategies for Historically Black 

13 Colleges and Universities to recruit and re14 tain highly qualified faculty with strong re15 search backgrounds; 

16 (iii) best practices and successful 

17 models employed by R1 institutions (as of 

18 the date the study is completed) that His19 torically Black Colleges and Universities 

20 can adopt; and 

21 (iv) analyses of— 

22 (I) which Historically Black Col23 leges and Universities have transfer 

24 agreements for their graduates with 

25 R1 institutions, and how many gradVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:49 Oct 01, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2977.IS S2977

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1 uates attend R1 institutions under 

2 those agreements; 

3 (II) which institutions of higher 

4 education are feeder institutions of 

5 Black students into programs at R1 

6 institutions; and 

7 (III) what role undergraduate 

8 Historically Black Colleges and Uni9 versities play in preparing students to 

10 attend an R1 institution; and 

11 (B) prepare recommendations for Federal 

12 support and initiatives to facilitate the advance13 ment of Historically Black Colleges and Univer14 sities in research and innovation. 

15 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 12 months after the 

16 date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

17 shall submit a report containing the results of the study, 

18 and recommendations for such legislative and administra19 tive action as the Comptroller General determines to be 

20 appropriate, to the appropriate committees of Congress 

21 and the Congressional Research Service. 

Æ 


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