[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 629 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 629
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants for
institutions of higher education serving Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 22, 2007
Mr. Wu (for himself, Mr. Honda, Mr. Abercrombie, Ms. McCollum of
Minnesota, Mr. McDermott, and Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants for
institutions of higher education serving Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The population of Asian American and Pacific Islanders
(in this section referred to as ``AAPI'') is an exceptionally
diverse population. Characteristics of the AAPI population vary
according to ethnicity, immigration patterns, historical
experiences, and social group issues.
(2) The diversity of the AAPI population includes
indigenous Pacific Islanders, well-established populations
represented in the United States for several generations, and
ethnic groups who may be recent immigrants or refugees, and
were forced to leave their home countries.
(3) The diversity of the population is reflected in the
Federal government's categories for Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders. There are 17 ethnic groups considered to be Asian
and 4 ethnic groups considered to be Pacific Islander. Neither
definition reflects AAPI's who may identify as ``more than one
race''.
(4) The distinct cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and
historical experiences that affect educational attainment of
different AAPI sub-populations are often overlooked because
programs and policies are based on aggregated data and the
assumption that AAPI's are a monolithic group. The ``model
minority myth'' assumption adversely effects AAPI youth, who
are perceived as being academically successful and not in need
of outreach, academic support systems, or other support
services.
(5) The ``model minority myth'' and lack of disaggregated
data may prevent student services offices from conducting
intentional outreach efforts, such as through TRIO programs
including Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search, to AAPI
students, because they are perceived to not be in need of
support.
(6) Additionally, disaggregated data indicates that 25.0
percent of Vietnamese Americans, 63.6 percent for Hmong
Americans, 42.6 percent of Cambodian Americans, 34.7 percent
Laotian Americans, 17.7 percent of Pacific Islander live in
poverty. Such socioeconomic disparities within the community
are often overlooked, as only 12.6 percent of the total AAPI
population lives in poverty.
(7) While Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders overall
have the highest college graduation rates of any group (44
percent in 2000), certain subgroups have much lower rates of
degree attainment. Only 13.8 percent of Vietnamese Americans,
5.8 percent of Laotian Americans, 6.1 percent of Cambodian
Americans, and less than 5.1 percent of Hmong Americans had
college degrees. Only 13.8 percent of Pacific Islanders had
degrees.
(8) Certain segments of the AAPI population face numerous
barriers to accessing higher education and would benefit from
grants and opportunities similar to those that historically
Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions,
Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native-
serving institutions, and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions
receive. The designation of AAPI-serving institution would help
institutions of higher education expand their capacity to
identify and assist underserved AAPI students.
SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE TO ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER-SERVING
INSTITUTIONS.
(a) Amendment.--Part A of title III of the Higher Education Act of
1965 is amended by inserting after section 317 (20 U.S.C. 1059d) the
following new section:
``SEC. 318. ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER-SERVING INSTITUTIONS.
``(a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall provide grants and
related assistance to Asian American and Pacific Islander-serving
institutions to enable such institutions to improve and expand their
capacity to serve Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
``(b) Definitions.--For the purpose of this section--
``(1) the term `Asian American' has the meaning given the
term Asian in the Office of Management and Budget's Standards
for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on
Race and Ethnicity as published on October 30, 1997 (62 Fed.
Reg. 58789);
``(2) the term `Pacific Islander' has the meaning given the
term `Native Hawaiian' or `Other Pacific Islander' in such
Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal
Data on Race and Ethnicity;
``(3) the term `Asian American and Pacific Islander-serving
institution' means an institution of higher education that--
``(A) is an eligible institution under section
312(b); and
``(B) at the time of application, has an enrollment
of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent
Asian American and Pacific Islander students; and
``(4) the term `low-income individual' means an individual
from a family whose taxable income for the preceding year did
not exceed 150 percent of an amount equal to the poverty level
determined by using criteria of poverty established by the
Bureau of the Census.
``(c) Authorized Activities.--
``(1) Types of activities authorized.--Grants awarded under
this section shall be used by Asian American and Pacific
Islander-serving institutions to assist such institutions to
plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve
and expand such institutions' capacity to serve Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders.
``(2) Examples of authorized activities.--Such programs may
include--
``(A) purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or
laboratory equipment for educational purposes,
including instructional and research purposes;
``(B) renovation and improvement in classroom,
library, laboratory, and other instructional
facilities;
``(C) support of faculty exchanges, and faculty
development and faculty fellowships to assist in
attaining advanced degrees in the faculty's field of
instruction;
``(D) curriculum development and academic
instruction;
``(E) purchase of library books, periodicals,
microfilm, and other educational materials;
``(F) funds and administrative management, and
acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds
management;
``(G) joint use of facilities such as laboratories
and libraries;
``(H) academic tutoring and counseling programs and
student support services;
``(I) establishing community outreach programs that
will encourage elementary school and secondary school
students to develop the academic skills and the
interest to pursue post-secondary education;
``(J) establishing or improving an endowment fund;
``(K) academic instruction in disciplines in which
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are under-
represented;
``(L) conducting research and data collection for
Asian American and Pacific Islander populations and
sub-populations; and
``(M) establishing partnerships with community
based organizations serving Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders.
``(d) Application Process.--
``(1) Institutional eligibility.--Each Asian American and
Pacific Islander-serving institution desiring to receive
assistance under this section shall submit to the Secretary
such enrollment data as may be necessary to demonstrate that
the institution is an Asian American and Pacific Islander-
serving institution as defined in subsection (b), along with
such other information and data as the Secretary may by
regulation require.
``(2) Applications.--Any institution which is determined by
the Secretary to be an Asian American and Pacific Islander-
serving institution may submit an application for assistance
under this section to the Secretary. Such application shall
include--
``(A) a 5-year plan for improving the assistance
provided by the Asian American and Pacific Islander-
serving institution to Asian American and Pacific
Islander students; and
``(B) such other information and assurance as the
Secretary may require.
``(3) Special rules.--
``(A) Eligibility.--No Asian American and Pacific
Islander-serving institution that receives funds under
this section shall concurrently receive funds under
other provisions of this part or part B.
``(B) Exemption.--Section 313(d) shall not apply to
institutions that are eligible to receive funds under
this section.
``(C) Distribution.--In awarding grants under this
section, the Secretary shall--
``(i) to the extent possible and consistent
with the competitive process under which such
grants are awarded, ensure maximum and
equitable distribution among all eligible
institutions; and
``(ii) give priority consideration to
institutions that serve a significant
percentage of Asian American and Pacific
Islander students who are low-income
individuals.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 399(a)(1) of such Act
(20 U.S.C. 1068h(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following
new subparagraph:
``(D) There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out section 318, $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2008
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4
succeeding fiscal years.''.
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