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Washington, DC—Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, applauded President Bush for signing the FY08 Defense Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3222, which includes a landmark investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI). The majority of this $37 million investment—more than doubling what HBCU/MI currently receives—comes at the behest of Congressman Cummings.
“For too long, our minority institutions have been overlooked in the allocation of funds that will strengthen the critical fields of technology and defense,” Congressman Cummings said. “I promised to be unrelenting in my fight to secure these funds, and I am pleased to have played a role in advancing the futures of our minority students.”
The money will be allocated to the Infrastructural Support Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions, which is not indexed for inflation and has not seen an increase in its original $15 million funding in over a decade. Under this program, HBCU/MI students compete for grants and contracts through the Department of Defense (DOD). As the number of minority students eligible for these grants and contracts has continued to increase, the funds have spread increasingly thin.
Congressman Cummings began fighting for the increased HBCU/MI funding following a meeting with officials from Morgan State University and the DOD to determine methods of improving minority contracting opportunities. The increase is expected to expand opportunities for minorities entering the fields of math, science, and engineering.
“We must ensure that our next generation is adequately trained to protect our homeland and remain on the forefront of science and technological development,” Congressman Cummings said. “This funding is vital in helping us to achieve this important priority—and in ensuring that no American is left behind.”
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