In the News

Rep. Hill celebrates Passage of Bill to Permanently Fund Arkansas’s HBCUs

12/10/2019
KARK

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, the House of Representatives passed a Senate amended version of H.R. 5363, the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act by a vote of 319-96 with Congressman French Hill’s (AR-02) support. This bipartisan legislation would permanently reauthorize more than $250 million in funding for historically black colleges (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions.

“The FUTURE Act is a crucial piece of legislation reauthorizing invaluable resources for America’s minority-serving academic institutions,” said Congressman Hill. “Today, I was proud to support the amended version of this bill that will streamline the financial aid process for lower- and middle-income families. These reforms include a much-needed change from the tedious and often-confusing process students currently undergo in obtaining their own tax return information while also offering a simplified and secure transfer of this information. I was also pleased to see the final version of this bill address the need for taxpayer consent for the disclosure of their confidential tax information.

“Every student in America deserves the opportunity to succeed. In Arkansas, HBCUs have served thousands of students and helped them achieve their dreams of a college education. As the Vice Co-Chair of the bipartisan HBCU Caucus, I am committed to building a strong education system that prepares all our students for success in a 21st century global economy. I am proud to represent three outstanding HBCUs in central Arkansas that will be better prepared to serve its students because of the important funding authorized under the FUTURE Act.”