Joe Baca: “reclaiming my time, I don't mind. I just wanted to read it for the Record to be recorded that I am fighting on behalf of…”

“reclaiming my time, I don't mind. I just wanted to read it for the Record to be recorded that I am fighting on behalf of everyone, if you don't mind, Mr. Chairman. But I appreciate that. I think it is important, and I appreciate the fact that they are moving on the amendment. Also I felt it was important for people to hear the amendment itself in terms of what it does. This amendment is important because it provides funding for minority education in agriculture and helps rebuild a minority farming community that has been often neglected and discriminated against. Hispanic Serving Institutions are a great source of innovation and deserve funding to continue generating advances in agricultural sciences. We must stop the long-standing practice of underfunding these institutions. HSI funding lags behind funding for other minority institutions and remains underfunded by nearly 75 percent. With population growth, and this is why I appreciate the chairman's concern, and innovative ideas in terms of helping Hispanic-growing populations, we see enrollment at HSIs has skyrocketed, but funding remains very low and it is still unacceptable. HSIs have grown to a number nearly equal to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The funding has remained much lower. A decade ago, we had less than 100 of the HSIs, and now we have nearly 250.…”