I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3294 
To provide for the long-term improvement of Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 18, 2021 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself, Mr. HILL, Ms. SEWELL, and Mr. TURNER) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor 
A BILL 
To provide for the long-term improvement of Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Institutional Grants 
for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for 
HBCU Excellence Act’’ or the ‘‘IGNITE HBCU Excel-
lence Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR THE LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT OF 
HBCUS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants 
to eligible entities, on a competitive basis, to support long- 
term improvements to the facilities of such entities in ac-
cordance with this Act. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be considered for a grant 
under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an appli-
cation to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
including— 
(1) to the extent possible, the information nec-
essary for the Secretary to make the determinations 
under subsection (c); 
(2) a description of the projects that such eligi-
ble entity plans to carry out with the grant, and how 
such projects will advance the long-term goals of the 
entity; and 
(3) an explanation of how such projects will re-
duce risks to the health, welfare, and safety of stu-
dents, staff, administrators, faculty, researchers, and 
guests at such eligible entity. 
(c) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary— 
(1) shall give priority to eligible entities that— 
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(A) demonstrate the greatest need to im-
prove campus facilities, as determined by a 
comparison of factors identified by the Sec-
retary, which may include— 
(i) consideration of threats posed by 
the proximity of such facilities to toxic 
sites; 
(ii) the vulnerability of such facilities 
to natural disasters and environmental 
risks; 
(iii) the median age of such facilities, 
including the facilities that such eligible 
entities will use grant funds to improve; 
(iv) the extent to which student en-
rollment exceeds physical and instructional 
capacity; 
(v) the condition of major systems in 
such facilities such as heating, ventilation, 
air conditioning, electrical, water, and 
sewer systems; 
(vi) the condition of roofs, windows, 
and doors of such facilities; 
(vii) other critical health and safety 
conditions; 
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(viii) the number and condition of fa-
cilities in significant disrepair; and 
(ix) the total amount of deferred 
maintenance of such facilities; 
(B) demonstrate the most limited capacity 
to raise funds for the long-term improvement of 
campus facilities, as determined by an assess-
ment of— 
(i) the current and historic ability of 
the eligible entity to raise funds for con-
struction, renovation, modernization, and 
major repair projects for campus; 
(ii) whether the eligible entity has 
been able to issue bonds or receive other 
funds 
to 
support 
school 
construction 
projects; and 
(iii) the bond rating of the eligible en-
tity; 
(C) enroll the highest percentages of stu-
dents who are eligible to receive a Federal Pell 
Grant under subpart 1 of part A of title IV of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1070a et seq.), and whose families qualify for 
other Federal need-based aid; 
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