Political Quotes

“Madam President, right now, HBCUs, like Wilberforce and Central State in my State of Ohio, and other minority-serving institutions are facing a fiscal cliff. If we don't act now, this week, HBCUs and other schools will face crippling funding cuts. These schools are a critical part of our Nation's higher education system. They have a rich legacy and a proven track record of educating students of color and other underrepresented students. Wilberforce was founded in 1856 as the Nation's first private institution of higher education for Black students in this country--an institution that we are so proud of in southwestern Ohio. Central State has a rich legacy of educating students and is an 1890 land-grant institution. Many of us worked in the last farm bill to right a historical wrong and to make sure all 1890 land-grant universities, including Central State, have access to the funding they deserve. They have fostered generations of African-American students. We know that without HBCUs, millions of Black students would have been denied the opportunity to pursue higher education. There simply was no place for them in many places in this country. They would have been left out of careers in law, academia, agriculture, politics, the sciences, and so many other fields. Our country owes an enormous debt to HBCUs. Key funding for HBCUs and minority-serving institutions--MSIs--expires September 30. Without this funding, school budgets will be thrown into chaos.…”