Rep. David Scott, chair of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee announced that a bill to provide $100 million in permanent funding for scholarships at the nineteen 1890 land grant colleges and universities was passed out of committee on a bipartisan vote.

Scott represents Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, which includes South Cobb County.

The nineteen land grant Historically Black Colleges and Universities were established in 1890 to “to strengthen research, extension and teaching in the food and agricultural sciences,” according to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) website.

NIFA is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.

A press release from Rep. Scott described the passage of the funding bill out of the committee as follows:

Yesterday, the House Agriculture Committee passed out of committee H.R. 4252, bipartisan legislation introduced and championed by Chairman David Scott to establish $100 million in permanent funding for student scholarships at the nineteen 1890 land-grant colleges and universities. The bill was reported favorably out of the Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support by a 43-3 vote and is now in line for consideration by the full House of Representatives. 

“Our 1890 HBCUs, including my beloved alma-mater FAMU, have provided a phenomenal return on our initial investment of $80 million included in the 2018 farm bill to support their scholars’ education and research in agriculture and agricultural sciences,” said Chairman David Scott after the hearing. “I deeply appreciate the strong, bipartisan support from Members on both sides of the aisle to keep student scholarships at our 1890 HBCUs permanently funded for generations to come.”

“Still, there is more work to do,” Chairman David Scott continued. “As the nation searches for solutions to new 21st century challenges with resiliency in our agricultural supply chains, it is more important than ever that these universities receive the funding they need to fulfill their mission and to help meet the global demand for agricultural innovation. We must continue building together on our efforts to meaningfully support these historic institutions that are vital to both the future of American agriculture and to red and blue communities alike across the country.”