March 7, 2024
Senator Laphonza Butler joins the U.S. Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions Caucus
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is pleased to announce Senator Laphonza Butler (Calif.) has joined the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institution Caucus. The HSI Caucus is an important voice to ensuring that HSIs receive the funding support that are needed for these institutions to thrive.
This initiative aims to keep Members of Congress and their staff informed about the value and impact of HSIs in their districts and communities. The HSI Caucus provides HACU and institutions a valuable opportunity to engage in dialogue with Members of Congress about developing additional resources and legislative opportunities for HSIs.
The co-chairs of the Senate HSI Caucus in the 119th Congress are Senators Alex Padilla and Bob Menendez.
Other members of the Senate HSI Caucus include:
- Senator Ben Ray Lujan (N.M.)
- Senator Mark Kelly (Ariz.)
- Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.)
- Senator Martin Heinrich (N.M.)
- Senator Jacky Rosen (Nev.)
- Senator John Hickenlooper (Colo.)
HACU calls on Senators with HSIs or emerging HSIs in their states to join the Senate HSI Caucus. In 1992, HACU led the effort to convince Congress to formally recognize campuses with high Hispanic enrollment as federally designated HSIs and to begin targeting federal appropriations to those campuses. HSIs make up 572 institutions across the nation that educate two-thirds of all Hispanics in college today and over 5 million students from all backgrounds.