HACU on the Hill: 118th Congress

As the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), HACU is dedicated to championing Hispanic success in higher education. Through collaboration with Congress, federal agencies, and the Administration, HACU advocates for HSIs receive the necessary support and resources. This page provides access to congressional letters, coalition letters, statements, and testimonies that reflect HACU's ongoing efforts and initiatives.

Congressional Letters 

5/22/24: Updates Needed to Prevent Further FAFSA Delays to House Education & Workforce Committee and Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairs and Ranking Members

5/1/24: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Chair and Ranking Member

5/1/24: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Chair and Ranking Member

5/1/24: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Chair and Ranking Member

5/1/24: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to Senate Appropriations Committee Chair and Ranking Member

5/1/24: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Chair and Ranking Member

5/1/24: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Chair and Ranking Member

5/1/24: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Appropriations Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Chair and Ranking Member

Coalition Letters

5/6/24 House and Senate Appropriations Committees’ Chairs and Ranking Members: Labor-HHS-Education Coalition urging a high funding total for FY 2025  

4/22/24 Department of Education: Financial Value Transparency (FVT) and Gainful Employment (GE) Reporting Requirements

2/5/24 Department of Education: Expanding TRIO Programs Eligibility to Undocumented Students

11/7/23 Department of Labor: Proposed Rulemaking, “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees”

Statements

5/8/2024 - HACU urges Congress to prioritize passing the Dream Act

5/3/2024 -  HACU urges Congress to increase funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions

4/30/2024- HACU, UnidosUS hold Roundtable Discussion with U.S. Department of Commerce at GateWay Community College

4/12/2024 - HACU supports ACCESS in Mental Health Act to increase diversity in the mental health workforce

4/11/2024 - HACU’s 29th Annual National Capitol Forum participants prepare for Capitol Hill visits

4/10/2024 -  HACU releases 2024 Legislative Agenda

3/20/2024 - Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation total 600

3/13/2024 -  HACU statement on President Biden’s 2025 Department of Education budget

3/12/2024 -  Senator Laphonza Butler joins the U.S. Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions Caucus

3/12/2024 -  HACU Statement on Federal Study on HSI needs for Facility and Digital Infrastructure

3/8/2024 -  HACU statement on State of the Union address

1/23/2024 -  Advocates for Hispanic-Serving institutions to head to Washington D.C. for HACU’s 29th Annual National Capitol Forum, April 9-10, 2024

12/1/2023 -  HACU honors two congressional staffers in Washington, D.C.

10/28/2023 - Call for action to create a President’s Board of Advisors on Hispanic-Serving Institutions

9/28/2023 -  HACU Statement on Impending Government Shutdown

9/21/2023 -  HACU attends Department of Commerce event in Washington, D.C.

9/20/2023 -  HACU President speaks at State of Latinos discussion in Washington, D.C.

9/14/2023 - Bipartisan Bicameral Resolution recognizes National HSIs Week, Sept. 11-15, 2023

9/13/2023 -  HACU holds Capitol Hill and Cabinet Conversations event in Washington, D.C.

7/18/2023 -  House Republicans put over five million HSI students at risk in severe budget cut proposal

7/14/2023 -  HACU statement on $39 billion in student loan forgiveness for over 800,000 borrowers

6/30/2023 -  HACU Denounces SCOTUS Decision on Student Loan

6/29/2023 - HACU Statement – SCOTUS Decision on Affirmative Action

6/23/2023 -  HACU-Member Institutions receive NextGen program funding

6/23/2023 -  HACU joins in Farm Bill Roundtable Discussion with Congressional Hispanic Caucus

6/22/2023 -  HACU leaders appointed to Academic Council to advise Department of Homeland Security

4/26/2023 -  HACU and the United States Agency for International Development announce partnership

4/21/2023 -  HACU releases its 2023 Legislative Agenda

4/20/2023 - HACU’s 28th Annual National Capitol Forum features Fireside chat with Secretary of Education and Secretary of Commerce

4/19/2023 -  HACU’s 28th Annual National Capitol Forum brings together advocates for HSIs

3/30/2023 -  Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation total 572

3/9/2023 -  HACU Statement on President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Proposal

2/24/2023 -  HACU, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) meet with U.S. Department of Transportation

2/23/2023 -  HACU and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Roundtable with Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)

2/8/2023 -  HACU statement on State of the Union address

1/24/2023 -  HACU statement on U.S. Department of Education Secretary Cardona Raise the Bar Remarks

Testimony

5/7/24 Written Testimony of Antonio R. Flores, HACU President and CEO, to the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding support for a permanent solution for Dreamers

5/3/24 Written Testimony of Antonio R. Flores, HACU President and CEO, to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies regarding increased funding for HSI Programs under the HEA Part V

6/14/23. Kathryn Uhrich, Ph.D., dean of University of California, Riverside’s College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences testified during an in-person House Agriculture Committee hearing on the importance of agriculture research at HSACUs and Land-grant Universities under the federal Farm Bill

5/31/23 HACU testifies at Congressional Briefing on the Farm Bill reauthorization