Black college leaders support Biden plan in letter

More than 50 historically Black colleges and universities leaders are putting pen to papper to pressure Senate leaders to pass President Joe Biden's $1.7 trillion spending plan, saying the money helps students of color achieve the American dream.

In a letter signed and sent this month by HBCU leadership, organizers urged the Senate to join the House of Representatives in supporting the Build Back Better legislation, which they say will address historic disparities in funding and support for HBCUs.

"We talk about this idea of the American dream, where you can start when one place in life and move up the socioeconomic status, HBCU receives are still doing that today," says Walter Kimbrough, Dillard University President.

He says a 2020 study from the United Negro College Fund reports HBCUs have created pathways to upward mobility and the funds in the bill will allow the underserved institutions to upgrade facilities.

"While constituting only 3% of all colleges and universities, we still graduate nearly 20% of all African American students and contribute nearly $16 billion to the GDP each year, yet we have traditionally received less than 1% of federal funding for higher education," the letter reports.

The massive letter signed by HBCU presidents urges the Senate to be on the right side of this issue and preserve the future of these schools and colleges.

Biden's separate "Build Back Better" agenda of tax hikes on the wealthy and an expansion of education, family and environmental programs still pending in the Senate. The broad slogan has made it challenging for people to easily grasp all that's in the package.

HBCU leaders say they hope their voices help speak on behalf of their students to move Congress along.