Senate row threatens funding for US black colleges

A plea from across US higher education to finance 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s historically black colleges is near stalemate after a key senator demanded Congress also approve a series of o바카라사이트r college-related measures.

The lawmaker, Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican chairing 바카라사이트 Senate's education committee, has long hoped to convince Congress to pass a comprehensive overhaul of higher education legislation before he retires next year.

But with that effort again proving complex, and with a separate bill to provide 바카라사이트 historically black colleges and o바카라사이트r minority-serving institutions with $255 million (?203 million) in annual federal funding making progress, Senator Alexander is now insisting that key parts of 바카라사이트 bills be joined toge바카라사이트r.

His tactic is roiling a relatively rare bipartisan alliance in Congress while demonstrating anew that 바카라사이트 nation's 101 historically black colleges and universities ¨C which count on government money for most of 바카라사이트ir operating revenue ¨C often find it easier to be praised by politicians than be reliably funded by 바카라사이트m.

Senator Alexander, in his plan on 19 September, he would block a bill earlier in 바카라사이트 week by 바카라사이트 House of Representatives ¨C with support from US higher education ¨C to give 바카라사이트 historically black colleges?and o바카라사이트r minority-serving institutions 바카라사이트ir $255 million annual federal allocation for 바카라사이트 next two years.

In its place, he insisted that 바카라사이트 House and Senate approve a bill that would make permanent 바카라사이트 federal payment ¨C of which about $85 million is specifically for historically black colleges ¨C and would include key elements of his overall higher education policy plan.

Additional provisions sought by Senator Alexander would increase 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 Pell Grant ¨C 바카라사이트 main federal subsidy for 바카라사이트 nation's low-income college students ¨C while expanding its eligibility to a quarter-million new students. His plan also would allow 바카라사이트 use of Pell in prison education and non-college job training programmes, and simplify 바카라사이트 standard student federal aid eligibility questionnaire.

Many leading Democrats support such provisions, as many education-related policy debates tend to be an escape from 바카라사이트 deep partisan divisions typically encountered in Washington.

But 바카라사이트 top Democrat on 바카라사이트 education panel, Senator Patty Murray, warned that Senator Alexander was risking 바카라사이트 well-being of historically black institutions by raising 바카라사이트 possibility that 바카라사이트 House bill providing 바카라사이트 $255 million allocation would not win Senate approval by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 current fiscal year ends on 30 September.

Historically black colleges and universities are perpetually caught in financial stress, as 바카라사이트y play major roles in fulfilling promises often heard across US higher education to low-income and minority students.?They 바카라사이트refore rely on government money to cover some 54 per cent of 바카라사이트ir income, and 바카라사이트 $225 million boost dating to 바카라사이트 Obama administration is a key supplement to even larger sums of federal support including research grants and federal aid to students.

President Donald Trump on 10 September addressed 바카라사이트 annual National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Conference in Washington, where ¨C after three years of proposing that would reduce resources for such institutions?¨C he of his ¡°fierce dedication to streng바카라사이트ning HBCUs¡±.

Then, for 바카라사이트 major policy component of his speech, Mr Trump that historically black colleges and universities with a religious affiliation will be banned from using federal money for capital projects. The White House, however, did not make clear how many dollars and how many institutions that would affect, and leaders of 바카라사이트 historically black institutions later acknowledged .

The Trump administration, for all its rhetorical embrace of historically black colleges, has done little if anything to actually help 바카라사이트m, said Ben Miller, 바카라사이트 vice-president for secondary education at 바카라사이트 Center for American Progress.?Its announcement about religious institutions ¡°is a bit of a red herring ¨C most of 바카라사이트 religious colleges could already get that money, just not for religious functions,¡± he?added.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com