ACTION ALERT--July 7, 2005

HACU urges support for HSI Appropriations for HEA-Title V, HHS, and HUD

HACU urges the leadership of every HACU member to contact the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies and for Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary and Housing and Urban Development.

Both subcommittees are scheduled to mark up the appropriations bills which include funding for Education (Title V of the HEA), HUD, and HHS on July 12, 2005. 

HACU urges the leadership of every HACU-member institution to immediately contact the U.S. Senators listed below and emphasize the importance of:

1.                 Increasing the appropriations level for the Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions program and new funding for the Developing Hispanic Serving Graduate Programs, both within Title V of the HEA,

2.                 Funding a special Research and Faculty Development program within the budget of the Department of Health and Human Services, and

3.                 Raising the funding level for the Hispanic Serving Institutions Assisting Communities Program (HSIAC) and reinstating the Hispanic Serving Institutions Work-Study Program (HSIWSP) within the budget of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

About the HACU FY 2006 Appropriations Requests:

1.       Title V: Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions:  For FY 2005 Congress appropriated $95.1 million in Title V grants for HSIs. This was only a modest increase over the $94.5 million for FY 2004. While the appropriation has helped some HSIs enhance their quality, there remain many HSIs which could also benefit from Title V funding to make higher education possible for Hispanics.  Currently there are over 240 HSIs eligible to compete for grants from Title V.  HACU is therefore requesting $175M for Title V funding for FY 2006.

            Title V – Developing Hispanic Serving Graduate Programs    As advanced skills are becoming a more important measure of future earnings and tax dollars and as business and industry are demanding higher levels of post secondary education, only 18 percent of HSIs offer a masters degree. Less than 13 percent offer a doctoral degree. Many under-funded HSIs do not have the infrastructure to offer advanced degree programs. A $20 million appropriation under Title V to HSIs for development and strengthening of graduate programs would help reverse the persistent under-representation of Hispanics in national teaching, science and professional ranks. HACU is therefore requesting a first time $20M appropriation for HSIs for FY 2006.

2.       Research and Faculty Development in the Health Professions within the Department of Health and Human Services.  Hispanics are persistently under-represented in health care and human service fields, especially in biomedicine and other developing medical technologies. Requested funding would flow to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services to develop or expand programs within HSIs to improve the quality of undergraduate and graduate programs in natural sciences, biomedicine, and other developing medical technology fields.  HACU requests a $20 million line-item appropriation for FY 2006.

3.       Community Development Programs within Housing and Urban Development.             HACU requests $17 million for HSIs to be included in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY 2006 budget.  The appropriation would fund competitive grants to be administered by the Office of University Partnerships (OUP) for two community development programs:

·                     $12 million for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Assisting Communities Program (HSIAC) to assist HSIs to expand their role in addressing community development needs – neighborhood revitalization, housing, and economic development.  HSIAC grantees carry out projects to benefit low-and moderate-income residents, help prevent or eliminate slums or blight, or meet urgent development needs in their communities.

·                     $5 million to reinstate the Hispanic-Serving Institution Work-Study Program (HSIWSP) to prepare students for careers in community development, administration of justice, early childhood education or social service delivery.  The HSIWSP program was discontinued in 2000 but the success of the program warrants reinstatement

What you can do:

Your action will make the difference in convincing appropriations subcommittees to increase funding HSIs for Title V, DHHS, and HUD.  Fax a letter (see attached sample letter), send an e-mail, or make a personal telephone call.  Contact HACU’s DC office at (202) 833-8361 for additional information or assistance.

For Sample Letter to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, click here.

For Sample Letter to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary and Housing and Urban Development, click here.

The Honorable Richard C. Shelby

Phone: 202-224-5744

Fax: 202-224-3416

E-Mail: senator@shelby.senate.gov

The Honorable Mike DeWine

Phone: 202-224-2315

Fax:  202-224-6519

E-Mail: dewine.senate.gov

The Honorable Harry Reid

Phone: 202-224-3542

Fax: 202-224-7327

E-Mail: reid.senate.gov/email_form.cfm

The Honorable Ted Stevens

Phone: 202-224-3004

Fax: 202-224-2354

E-Mail: stevens.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

The Honorable Byron Dorgan

Phone: 202-224-2551

Fax: 202-224-1193

E-Mail: senator@dorgan.senate.gov

The Honorable Patty Murray

Phone: 202-224-2621

Fax: 202-224-0238

E-Mail: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison

Phone: 202-224-5922

Fax: 202-224-0776

E-Mail: hutchison.senate.gov/e-mail.htm

The Honorable Arlen Specter

Phone: 202-224-4254

Fax: 202-228-1229

E-Mail: specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=contactinfo.Home

The Honorable Herbert H. Kohl

Phone: 202-224-5653

Fax: 202-224-9787

E-Mail: kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html

The Honorable Robert Bennett

Phone: 202-224-5444

Fax: 202-228-1168

E-Mail: bennett.senate.gov/contact/emailmain.html

The Honorable Sam Brownback

Phone: 202-244-6521

Fax: 202-228-1265

E-Mail: brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.cfm

The Honorable Barbara Mikulski

Phone: 202-224-4654

Fax: 202-224-8858

E-Mail: mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy

Phone: 202-224-4242

Fax: 202-224-3479

E-Mail: mailto:senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov

The Honorable Richard Durbin

Phone: 202-224-2152

Fax: 202-228-0400

E-Mail: durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm