FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC (December 10, 2019) – “The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act today. Today’s action by the House is a critical step towards finally ensuring that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) do not lose $255 million in mandatory federal funding.
The amended FUTURE Act will renew Title III, Part F (a/k/a SAFRA) funding for another 10 years, amounting to $2.55 billion in mandatory federal financial support, and help simplify the process for applying for financial aid by reducing the number of questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and facilitating communication between the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Education, and thereby eliminating the onerous financial aid verification process for students and administrators.
With the U.S. House and U.S. Senate leaders agreeing to strengthen the privacy protections contained in the U.S. Senate-passed version of the bill – we are cautiously optimistic that this bill will pass the U.S. Senate and head to President Trump’s desk for his signature in short-order.
This critical stream of mandatory funding (Title III, Part F) helps eligible colleges and universities enhance their fiscal stability, improve their institutional management, and strengthen their academic programming, with a particular focus on high-demand career areas, like careers in STEM fields.
We are appreciative of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) for making HBCU, PBI and other MSI funding a Congressional priority. We also thank Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC) and Congressman Mark Walker (R-NC) for their leadership in co-sponsoring the original FUTURE Act legislation and to all of the Republican and Democrat members of the U.S. House of Representatives who voted to renew this critical investment in our Nation’s post-secondary students.
TMCF is confident the U.S. Senate will once again show their bipartisan support for this important legislation and move swiftly to renew this critical funding by voting to pass the amended FUTURE Act.” Harry L. Williams, TMCF president & CEO.
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ABOUT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.
TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit: www.tmcf.org.
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