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Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks at the bill enrollment for H.R. 5363, the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act. The FUTURE Act restores urgently-needed mandatory funding for Minority-Serving Institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI). Below are the Speaker’s remarks:
Speaker Pelosi. Good afternoon, everyone.
This is a happy afternoon for us, because it’s about opportunity in our country. To ‘Foster Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education,’ FUTURE – the FUTURE Act – bipartisan bill to permanently fund Minority-Serving Institutions – MSIs, Minority-Serving Institutions – and HBCUs, that so many of our colleagues have attended here – including FAFSA, to simplify and improve federal student aid process.
Thanks to Mr. Clyburn, our distinguished Whip and Mr. Hoyer, our distinguished Majority Leader in the House, for facilitating this legislation to come to the Floor and be passed in an overwhelming way.
Rep. Adams is the author – Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina is the author of the bill. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, for your leadership.
Bobby Scott, the Chair of Education and Labor Committee – where are you, Bobby? Let’s see where you went to school. Hampton University –
[Applause]
Chairman Scott. It’s in my district, in my district.
Whip Clyburn. He represents them.
Speaker Pelosi. Oh, it’s in your district.
[Laughter]
We were just talking about different card games I’ve learned from our colleagues who went to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Susan Davis, the Higher Education [and] Workforce Investment [Subcommittee], Susan Davis, thank you for your leadership on this, as well.
And all of our Members who have played such an important role – there they are, the Tri-Caucus of the Congress.
This is about Minority-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, it’s about Hispanic-Serving Universities, it’s about Native American, serving Native Americans in our – as you can see by their demonstrations of either their alma mater or their district colleges or universities that they represent, this is about something wonderful for America.
They are the engines of opportunity for over eight million students, Minority-Serving Institutions are, including San Francisco State University, a Hispanic-Serving Institution in my district.
And I see Mr. Costa – who has Merced? There you are, Merced.
With this permanent – this permanent funding, we are strengthening these pillars, educating tomorrow’s innovators and entrepreneurs.
The House passed this funding twice. The outside organizing made the difference, the United Negro College Fund, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Asian Pacific Islander American Association of Colleges and Universities and National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education.
It is – it’s pretty exciting, because, again, I said it on the Floor during the appropriations bill, there’s nothing that brings more to the Treasury and more to the greatness of America than our investments in education.
Now, it is my honor to introduce our Minority – our Majority Whip, Mr. Clyburn – my gosh – a relentless, persistent and dissatisfied champion for equity and opportunity for our nation’s students.
I am pleased now to yield to Mr. Clyburn.
Speaker Pelosi. I just want to say one thing before Alma comes up, because you mentioned our dear Elijah Cummings and his opportunity that was provided by HBCU.
But I do want to mention that Elijah Cummings served on the board of Morgan State College in Baltimore, Maryland, that I am proud to have an honorary degree from.
Does that count for anything here?
[Laughter]
And not only that, my brother, who when he was Mayor of Baltimore, had an honorary degree from Morgan State.
So, we are very, very proud in Baltimore of Elijah’s connection there as well. And one more point, you had three points, I will make one more. When we fund these Minority-Serving Institutions, we enhance their opportunity to attract grants from the NIH and everything else. So, as long as they are at a disadvantage financially, who can compete with other grant application?
So, John Lewis and Mr. Clyburn have been hot on this trail of saying, ‘Give us the opportunity, we will make the best of it.’ With talent, attracts capital, capital attracts talent, in terms of professors, and that attracts grants from the federal government and other opportunities as well.
So, this makes a very big difference in the individual lives of the students and the opportunity they will now avail themselves to of – but also, enhances their opportunity in terms of attracting capital to support the talent.
And now, the godmother of all of this today, Congresswoman Alma Adams of North Carolina.
Speaker Pelosi. Thank you. And thank you for acknowledging both our distinguished House Democratic Whip and our distinguished Leader who brought this legislation to the Floor.
Did you want to give us some exaltation?
Speaker Pelosi. Thank you, Steny.
Now, we are going to sign, have the enrollment of the bill. That means this bill has passed the House and the Senate with the signing here in the House, we’ll send it to the Senate and then it will go over to the President of the United States for his signature. Before you know it, it will be the law of the land.
Now, my honor. Thank you.