MEMBER ADVISORY
July 20, 2021
House Appropriations Committees passage of FY22 spending bills
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is providing information on the House Appropriations Committee’s passage of spending bills for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (L-HHS-Ed) and Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) for Fiscal Year 2022.
The L-HHS-Ed bill will provide $253.8 billion to fund agencies and programs in the Education, Health and Human Services, Labor Departments. This reflects an increase of $55.2 billion above the FY 2021 enacted levels. The CJS bill will provide $81.3 billion to fund the Commerce and Justice departments, as well as NASA and the National Science Foundation. This reflects an increase of $10 billion above the FY 2021 enacted levels.
The L-HHS-Ed bill provides $3.43 billion for higher education and the CJS bill provides $9.6 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF). Below is a summary of the relevant funding opportunities for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
U.S. Department of Education:
- Title V, Part A (Developing HSIs): $236.7 million, which is $88 million above the FY 2021 enacted level
- Title V, Part B (PPOHA): $28.8 million, which is $15 million above the FY 2021 enacted level
National Science Foundation:
- Improving Undergraduate STEM Education–HSI Program: $56 million, which is $9.5 million above the FY 2021 enacted level
The L-HHS-Ed bill also includes $27.2 billion for Federal student aid programs, an increase of $2.64 billion above the FY 2021 enacted level. Within this amount, the bill provides $6,895 for maximum Pell Grant, and increase of $400 above the FY 2021 enacted level. It also includes a new language allowing DREAMERS and students with temporary protected status to be eligible for Pell Grants, as well as other categories of student financial assistance, including Federal student loans.
“HACU applauds the House Appropriations Committee’s passage of spending bills that recognize the value that Hispanic-Serving Institutions bring to our communities,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “While HACU is appreciative of the increased funding for programs that support HSIs, we will continue to advocate for congressional support of equitable funding for HSI programs given the continued growth in the number of HSIs from 311 in 2010 to 569 in 2019.”
The House Appropriations Committee also adopted by voice vote a bipartisan manager’s amendment, which includes an instruction to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to perform a study on the infrastructure needs, both physical and digital, of HSIs, which should include a review and analysis of the condition of HSI facilities, capital financing needs of HSIs, and how to help HSIs better serve Hispanic communities.
“Federal funding for HSIs continues to lag behind in the higher education community. As we continue to rebuild our post-COVID-19 economy, it is critical to increase HSI funding to meet America’s workforce needs in the 21st Century,” added Flores.
HACU Member Advisories are a service of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)