Congress has a responsibility to address the enduring impact of slavery and decades of discriminatory policy.

Logic tells me that we ought to have a Morgan and a Morehouse and a Hampton and a Howard and a Fisk.

We must preserve and protect HBCUs for the sake of the next generation of change-makers and for those yet unborn.

Investing in these institutions and their students is one of the most significant actions we can take to right the wrongs of the past.

As a graduate of Fisk University, I am proud to Chair this first hearing to exclusively examine the State of these vital institutions since 2008.

Today, HBCUs remain integral to promoting the academic, social, and economic success of the descendants of enslaved Americans.

Unfortunately, many states have chronically underfunded HBCUs compared to other institutions, leaving them to achieve far more with far less.

To fulfill our Nation's promise of higher education for all people, all children, Congress must provide HBCUs with the resources and support they need to combat systematic underfunding and discrimination.

I plan to file legislation that will help students who have been impacted by the legacy of slavery.

I worked with Tennessee State this last year, school year, to help increase their Black male population by sending them 12 Black boys to Tennessee State.

However, let us not forget, we recognize that we still have a long way to go to correct historic--historic--inequities in HBCU funding.