HBCU Historic Restoration Bill Moves Closer to Reality
By Charles Dervarics
The House of Representatives has approved a bill to promote the restoration of buildings on historically Black college campuses, boosting prospects for legislation that has languished in Congress since last year.
Members by voice vote approved a plan by Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., that would set goals for restoration of historic buildings and reduce by 30 percent the matching funds HBCUs would have to provide for such efforts. A previous law to encourage historic restoration at HBCUs required a 50 percent match, but that statute expired in 2001.
“This is a day that has been several years in the making,” Clyburn said of House action on the bill, H.R. 1606.
