Natural State News

In a review of the needs of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) conducted in 2018, the Government Accountability Office identified major capital projects that these institutions need to complete. Many of the institutions surveyed said that a large number of their buildings needed repair or replacement, and that they had millions in deferred maintenance that needed to be done.

That’s where the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act comes in. The official title is Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education (IGNITE) for HBCU Excellence Act, and was sponsored by U.S. Reps. French Hill (R-AR) and Alma S. Adams (D-NC) as well as Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Tim Scott (.

Hill visited the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to discuss the needs of these educational institutions. In a June 2 Facebook post, Hill said that he explained the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act.

“It was an honor today to visit the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to discuss HBCU infrastructure needs. Thank you to Dr. Doze Butler, Dean for the School of Agriculture, for your thank you note that inspired me to visit campus. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss my bipartisan bill, The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. The bill will utilize public and private investments to renovate, repair, modernize, or construct new campus facilities, preserve buildings with historic significance, and much more to modernize HBCU campuses,” Hill wrote.

In addition to helping these organizations to preserve buildings with historical significance and ensure the resilience, safety, and sustainability of campus facilities, it will also use both public and private investments to renovate, repair, modernize or build new buildings on these campuses. Equipment and technology for high quality research and instruction, and improvements to facilities so that community based partnerships are stronger are also a focus of this piece of legislation.