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IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act
Introduced May 13, 2026 · Last action May 13, 2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
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Summary
This legislation is called the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Full bill text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8791 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8791
To provide for the long-term improvement of Historically Black Colleges
and Universities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 13, 2026
Mr. Hill of Arkansas (for himself, Ms. Adams, Mr. Turner of Ohio, Ms.
Sewell, Mr. McCormick, and Mr. Figures) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the long-term improvement of Historically Black Colleges
and Universities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Institutional Grants for New
Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for HBCU Excellence Act'' or
the ``IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR THE LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT OF HBCUS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Grants authorized.--The Secretary shall award grants to
eligible entities, on a competitive basis, to support long-term
improvements to the facilities of such entities in accordance
with this Act.
(2) Grant period.--With respect to each eligible entity
that is awarded a grant under this section, such grant shall be
for a period determined appropriate by the Secretary based on
the information submitted by such entity under subsection (b).
(3) Multiple grants permitted.--An eligible entity may
apply for, and be awarded, more than 1 grant under this
section.
(b) Application.--To be considered for a grant under this section,
an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require, including--
(1) to the extent possible, the information necessary for
the Secretary to make the determinations under subsection (c);
(2) a description of the projects that such eligible entity
plans to carry out with the grant and how such projects will
advance the long-term goals of the entity;
(3) an explanation of--
(A) how such projects will reduce risks to the
health, welfare, and safety of students, staff,
administrators, faculty, researchers, and guests at
such eligible entity; and
(B) the anticipated number of years that any
facilities constructed, improved, or replaced under
such projects may be used before presenting a risk
described in subparagraph (A);
(4) the median age of the facilities that such entity plans
to improve or replace under such projects; and
(5) in the case of an eligible entity seeking to carry out
facility repairs described in section 3(a)(3), a preventative
maintenance plan for such repairs.
(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary--
(1) shall give priority to an eligible entity that--
(A) demonstrates the greatest need to improve
campus facilities, as determined by a comparison of
factors identified by the Secretary, which may
include--
(i) consideration of threats posed by the
proximity of such facilities to toxic sites;
(ii) the vulnerability of such facilities
to natural disasters and environmental risks;
(iii) the median age of the facilities that
such entity will use grant funds to improve;
(iv) the extent to which student enrollment
exceeds physical and instructional capacity;
(v) the condition of major systems in such
facilities such as heating, ventilation, air
conditioning, electrical, water, and sewer
systems;
(vi) the condition of roofs, windows, and
doors of such facilities;
(vii) other critical health and safety
conditions;
(viii) the number and condition of
facilities in significant disrepair; and
(ix) the total amount of deferred
maintenance of such facilities;
(B) demonstrates the most limited capacity to raise
funds for the long-term improvement of campus
facilities, as determined by an assessment of--
(i) the current and historic ability of the
eligible entity to raise funds for
construction, renovation, modernization, and
major repair projects for campus;
(ii) whether the eligible entity has been
able to issue bonds or receive other funds to
support school construction projects;
(iii) the bond rating of the eligible
entity;
(iv) the number of students enrolled as of
the date on which the application is submitted;
(v) the total value of the endowment of the
eligible entity as of the date on which the
application is submitted;
(vi) the total amount of deferred
maintenance of such facilities; and
(vii) the amount and sources of
institutional revenue;
(C) enrolls the highest percentages of students who
are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant under
subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.), and whose
families qualify for other Federal need-based aid;
(D) is a public institution that--
(i) faces declining State support or
investment; and
(ii) demonstrates limited ability to
generate revenue, as determined by assessing--
(I) the total value of the
endowment of the institution as of the
date on which the application is
submitted; and
(II) the costs of the deferred
maintenance of the institution relative
to the total revenue of the
institution; and
(E) demonstrates an effort to seek support from
public and private entities for projects carried out
with a grant awarded under this Act; and
(2) may give priority to an eligible entity--
(A) that lacks access to high-speed broadband and
will use the grant funds to improve access to high-
speed broadband sufficient to support digital and
technology-based learning in accordance with section
3(a)(6);
(B) at which the highest degree that is
predominantly awarded to students is an associate's
degree;
(C) that did not receive a grant under this Act in
the preceding fiscal year; or
(D) that proposes projects aligned with long-term
infrastructure priorities that--
(i) serve as regional models, as determined
by the Secretary;
(ii) address multiple needs on the campus
of the entity;
(iii) address the needs of at least 1
eligible entity in addition to the entity
receiving the grant; or
(iv) encourage efforts described in section
3(d).
(d) Geographic Distribution.--The Secretary shall ensure that
grants under this section are awarded to eligible entities in a manner
that reflects the geographic distribution of such entities in the
United States.
(e) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, directly or by grant or
contract, may provide technical assistance to eligible entities to
prepare the entities to qualify, apply for, and maintain a grant, under
this Act.
(f) Relationship to HBCU Capital Financing Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may take into consideration
whether an eligible entity has received a loan under a loan
agreement made under part D of title III of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1066 et seq.) when--
(A) reviewing grant applications under this
section;
(B) determining priority under subsection (c); and
(C) determining the amount awarded for a grant
under this Act.
(2) Priority.--With respect to paragraph (1)(B), the
Secretary may--
(A) determine that an eligible entity should not
receive priority under subsection (c) if such entity
has received a loan under a loan agreement made under
part D of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1066 et seq.); and
(B) determine that an eligible entity should
receive higher priority under subsection (c) if such
entity has not received a loan under a loan agreement
made under part D of title III of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1066 et seq.).
SEC. 3. GRANT USES.
(a) Permitted Uses.--Except as provided in subsection (b), an
eligible entity that receives a grant under this Act shall use such
grant funds to carry out at least one of the following activities:
(1) Construct, modernize, renovate, or retrofit the campus
facilities of such entity, which may include--
(A) improving existing, or establishing new,
instructional laboratories or workforce-aligned (as
determined by the Secretary) research facilities
relating to fields of health, science, technology,
engineering, the arts, agriculture, education, and
other disciplines as determined by the Secretary;
(B) constructing or improving roads or other
transportation infrastructure on campus, for which the
eligible entity is responsible;
(C) preserving facilities with historic
significance and facilities that house historic or
cultural artifacts;
(D) constructing, modernizing, renovating, and
retrofitting any campus facility or dormitory
(including dining facilities) or other facility
customarily used for housing students;
(E) improving security and safety for students,
faculty, and staff;
(F) installing or upgrading water, wastewater,
power, and underground infrastructure; and
(G) developing facilities or infrastructure that
support job creation, entrepreneurship, and community-
based opportunities, including establishing workforce
development hubs that--
(i) are aligned with regional labor market
needs;
(ii) focus on fields such as artificial
intelligence; and
(iii) support education, training, and
career placement for students.
(2) Purchase, manufacture, or modernize vehicle fleets
owned and operated by such entity that are used primarily for
the purpose of facilitating campus accessibility and student
academic activities.
(3) Carry out repairs, including with respect to deferred
maintenance, to the facilities of such eligible entity in
accordance with the preventative maintenance plan submitted
under section 2(b)(5).
(4) Acquire and install research-related equipment and
technology in the campus facilities of such entity, including
specialty equipment with respect to emerging fields (as
determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the head of
the eligible entity), such as artificial intelligence, data
science, machine learning, cybersecurity, biotechnology,
chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, robotics, and advanced
manufacturing.
(5) For the purpose of facilitating the construction of new
campus facilities that are not primarily used for classroom
instruction or academic activities--
(A) purchase or otherwise acquire title to land to
serve as a permanent site for such facilities; and
(B) to the extent that other public or private
funds are insufficient--
(i) prepare land for the construction of
such facilities; and
(ii) pay other preconstruction costs
relating to the development of such facilities.
(6) Install or extend the life of basic systems and
components of campus facilities, which may include--
(A) high-speed broadband internet infrastructure
sufficient to support digital and technology-based
learning;
(B) high-capacity, middle-mile broadband networks,
and campus-wide broadband networks, including 5G and
future network generations;
(C) fiber, cyber, and telecommunications
infrastructure, including small cells;
(D) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
(HVAC) or other indoor air quality systems;
(E) support for last-mile service for rural
campuses when other means of providing this support is
unavailable; and
(F) other infrastructure to support the success of
operations and other digital and technology needs.
(7) Strengthen the safety and security of the campus of
such entity by improving or utilizing design elements,
principles, and technology that--
(A) guarantee layers of security throughout such
campus; and
(B) uphold the function of such campus as a
learning and teaching environment.
(8) Strengthen institutional planning and governance to
support long-term infrastructure goals by--
(A) developing or updating campus infrastructure
master plans, facility condition assessments, deferred
maintenance strategies, or long-term capital project
timeliness;
(B) aligning campus infrastructure master plans
with academic and workforce priorities, including with
respect to the facilities used by programs in high-
demand fields (as determined by the Secretary) in order
to address the needs of such facilities and support the
growth of such programs;
(C) modernizing auxiliary services to improve
financial sustainability, service quality, or
institutional competitiveness;
(D) supporting high-quality research and
development efforts, including planning and expanding
partnerships with manufacturers, employers, or
innovation stakeholders that strengthen infrastructure
and innovation; and
(E) establishing or expanding offices or
initiatives for the recruitment and retention of
faculty in fields of research.
(b) Prohibited Uses.--An eligible entity that receives a grant
under this Act may not use such grant funds for--
(1) payment of routine and predictable maintenance costs,
minor repairs, or utility bills;
(2) any facility that is primarily used for athletic
contests or exhibitions or other events for which admission is
charged to the general public;
(3) the purchase or support of any communications equipment
or service (as defined in section 9 of the Secure and Trusted
Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1608)) that
poses a risk to national security; or
(4) activities that are funded, in whole or in part, under
part B of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1060 et seq.), unless the Secretary approves such use.
(c) Supplement Not Supplant.--An eligible entity shall use a grant
received under this Act only to supplement the level of Federal, State,
and local public funds that would, in the absence of such grant, be
made available for the activities supported by the grant, and not to
supplant such funds.
(d) Encouraging Partnerships.--The Secretary shall encourage
partnerships between eligible entities and public and private entities
to--
(1) provide additional funding; and
(2) assist in carrying out the activities under this Act.
SEC. 4. USE OF SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS.
In carrying out projects funded with a grant under this Act, an
eligible entity shall seek to procure contracts from--
(1) small business concerns owned and controlled by
veterans (including service-disabled veterans); and
(2) qualified HUBZone small business concerns.
SEC. 5. RESERVATION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
(a) Reservation.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this Act may reserve a total of not more than 5 percent of the amount
of such grant to--
(1) develop the facilities master plan required under
subsection (b);
(2) carry out activities to--
(A) protect the health of students, staff,
administrators, faculty, researchers, and guests during
the construction or modernization of the campus
facilities of such entity; and
(B) mitigate excessive noise caused by activities
carried out under this Act;
(3) pay personnel to carry out administrative work relating
to the grant program; and
(4) pay other reasonable administrative costs associated
with the grant program.
(b) Facilities Master Plan.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after receiving a
grant under this Act, an eligible entity shall submit to the
Secretary a comprehensive facilities master plan that--
(A) describes how the entity will carry out the
activities identified in the application submitted
under section 2(b) with the grant funds received under
this Act; and
(B) identifies the anticipated benefits and
outcomes of such activities.
(2) Elements.--The facilities master plan required under
paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the eligible
entity submitting such plan, a description of, as of the date
on which such plan is submitted--
(A) the extent to which the campus facilities--
(i) meet the educational needs of students;
and
(ii) support the educational mission and
vision of such entity;
(B) the physical condition of the campus
facilities;
(C) the current health, safety, and environmental
conditions of the campus facilities, including--
(i) indoor air quality;
(ii) the presence of hazardous and toxic
substances and chemicals on or near such
facilities;
(iii) the safety of drinking water at the
tap and water used for meal preparation,
including the level of lead and other
contaminants in such water;
(iv) energy and water efficiency;
(v) excessive noise in academic spaces; and
(vi) other health, safety, and
environmental conditions that would impact the
health, safety, and learning ability of
students;
(D) the actual and anticipated impact of current
and future student enrollment levels (as of the date of
application) on the design of current and future campus
facilities, as well as the financial implications of
such enrollment levels;
(E) the dollar amount and percentage of funds such
entity will dedicate to capital construction projects,
including--
(i) any funds in the budget of such entity
that will be dedicated to such projects; and
(ii) any funds not in such budget that will
be dedicated to such projects, including any
funds available to the eligibility entity as
the result of a bond issue or the Historically
Black College and University Capital Financing
Program under part D of title III of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1066 et seq.);
and
(F) the dollar amount and percentage of funds such
entity will dedicate to the maintenance and operation
of campus facilities, including--
(i) any funds in the budget of such entity
that will be dedicated to the maintenance and
operation of such facilities; and
(ii) any funds not in the budget of such
entity that will be dedicated to the
maintenance and operation of such facilities.
(3) Consultation.--In developing the facilities master
plan, the eligible entity shall demonstrate that it conducted
meaningful consultation with diverse stakeholders, which may
include--
(A) staff and other institutional leaders;
(B) custodial and maintenance staff;
(C) emergency first responders;
(D) campus facilities directors;
(E) students and families;
(F) community residents, including those directly
affected by actions undertaken as a result of utilizing
grant funds;
(G) government entities;
(H) local charitable foundations;
(I) local employers;
(J) Indian Tribes, as applicable; and
(K) other such individuals and entities.
SEC. 6. HBCU CAPITAL FINANCING LOAN DISBURSEMENT AND FORGIVENESS.
(a) In General.--Each time an institution of higher education
receives a disbursement of a loan amount under a covered closed loan
agreement, the Secretary shall repay--
(1) the outstanding balance of principal, interest, fees,
and costs on such loan amount (as of the date of such
disbursement) under the covered closed loan agreement; and
(2) any reimbursement (including reimbursements of escrow
and return of fees and deposits) relating to the covered closed
loan agreement that are usual and customary when the loan is
paid off by the institution.
(b) Covered Closed Loan Agreement.--In this section, the term
``covered closed loan agreement'' means a closed loan agreement--
(1) executed before the date of enactment of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260);
(2) made under part D of title III of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1066 et seq.); and
(3) that provides for loan amounts that have not been
disbursed as of the date of enactment of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
SEC. 7. REPORTS.
(a) Department of Education Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the projects carried out with grant
funds awarded under this Act.
(2) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) with respect to projects carried out by
eligible entities with grant funds awarded under this
Act, an assessment of--
(i) the types of such projects;
(ii) the square footage of the improvements
made by such projects, disaggregated by--
(I) total square footage; and
(II) square footage per each
eligible entity;
(iii) the total cost of each such project;
(iv) the cost described in clause (iii),
disaggregated by the cost of--
(I) planning;
(II) design;
(III) construction;
(IV) site purchase; and
(V) improvements;
(v) the geographic distribution of such
projects; and
(vi) the demographic composition of the
student population served by such projects,
disaggregated by--
(I) race and ethnicity; and
(II) the number and percentage of
students enrolled at such entities who
are eligible to receive a Federal Pell
Grant under subpart 1 of part A of
title IV of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.);
(B) an evaluation of a sample of grant recipients,
selected by the Secretary taking into account size and
geographic location of each grantee, to determine how
such recipients are using the grant and the
effectiveness of the activities carried out with the
grant; and
(C) an analysis of compliance with the requirement
in section 3(c).
(b) Comptroller General Appropriations Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall conduct a study on the amount of
appropriations necessary to continue implementing the grant
program under this Act.
(2) Elements.--The study conducted under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) an evaluation of the approximate total cost of
deferred maintenance across eligible entities; and
(B) an overview of sources of funding for
addressing such needs other than the grant program
under this Act.
(3) Report.--After the completion of the study under
paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall submit to the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report on the
results of the study.
(4) Results.--The results of the study shall be used to
inform the appropriation of funds to carry out this Act for the
fiscal years following the submission of the report under
paragraph (3).
(c) Comptroller General Implementation Report.--
(1) Study required.--Not later than 4 years after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall conduct a study on the implementation of
the grant program under this Act.
(2) Elements.--The study conducted under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) an examination of program implementation
challenges; and
(B) an assessment of whether any changes are needed
to make grants under this Act more accessible to
eligible entities with fiscal challenges to help them
raise capital for infrastructure projects.
(3) Report.--After the completion of the study under
paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the results of
the study, including any recommendations to the Secretary for
improvements to the implementation of the grant program under
this Act.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a part B institution, as such term is defined
in section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1061(2)); or
(B) an institution or program listed under section
326(e)(1) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1063b(e)(1)).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such
term in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1003).
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2027 through
2032.
<all>Official legislative text sourced from the public record (cached on CivicsHQ).
Official source
View the original bill, actions, and full legislative record on Congress.gov.
Status
In Committee
- 1Introduced
- 2Committee
- 3Floor
- 4Passed
- 5Signed
Timeline reflects current normalized status only. Full action history is not yet stored in the API.
Topics
Government Operations
Sponsors
- Rep. Hill, J. French [R-AR-2]RHouseAR
Cosponsors
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
- Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
- Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]
- Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
- Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6]
- Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]
- Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
- Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2]
- Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5]
- Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
- Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6]
- Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
- Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
- Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
- Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2]
- Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
- Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
- Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
- Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9]
- Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]
- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
- Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7]
- Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]
- Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7]
- Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
- Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]
- Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14]
- Rep. Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1]
- Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3]
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
- Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
- Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
- Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
- Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10]
- Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]
- Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4]
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
Votes
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