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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10043 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10043
To provide grants to Historically Black colleges and universities for
such colleges and universities to provide scholarships to students who
are descended from a person who was enslaved in the United States, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 3, 2026
Ms. Wilson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide grants to Historically Black colleges and universities for
such colleges and universities to provide scholarships to students who
are descended from a person who was enslaved in the United States, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Heritage Legacy Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES.
(a) Grant Authority.--For fiscal year 2027 and each succeeding
fiscal year, the Secretary of Education shall award grants to each
Historically Black College or University (in this Act referred to as an
``HBCU'') in an amount that equals the sum of the annual tuition
charged to all qualified students enrolled at such HBCU for the
academic year that begins July 1 of such fiscal year.
(b) Uses of Funds.--
(1) Uses of funds.--An HBCU receiving a grant under this
Act shall provide a direct scholarship to each qualified
student--
(A) for each academic year that such student is
enrolled at the HBCU, which may not exceed 12 semesters
or the equivalent; and
(B) in an amount which does not exceed an amount
equal to the sum of the tuition for the program of
study for such year in which such qualified student is
enrolled.
(2) Direct scholarships.--In providing direct scholarships
under paragraph (1)(A), the HBCU shall make payments to
qualified students in the same manner, using the same payment
periods, as such HBCU makes payments for Federal Pell Grants
under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1070a).
(c) Descendent of an Individual Who Was Enslaved in the United
States.--
(1) In general.--Prior to awarding a grant under this Act
to an HBCU, the Secretary shall determine the number of
qualified students at such HBCU.
(2) Verification.--To verify that an individual is a
qualified student, such individual shall provide to the
Secretary, or, if determined appropriate by the Secretary, to
the HBCU that the individual is attending, the documentation
described in paragraph (3) demonstrating that at least one-
quarter of the genes of such individual are attributable to an
individual who was enslaved in the United States.
(3) Documentation.--For purposes of the verification
required under this subsection, an individual shall provide to
the Secretary--
(A) documentation that verifies that the ancestors
of such individual were listed, in any United States
census before October 3, 1965, as--
(i) African American;
(ii) Afro-American;
(iii) Black;
(iv) Black (Negroid);
(v) Black (Negro or Negro descent);
(vi) Colored;
(vii) Free Colored;
(viii) Freedman;
(ix) Mullato;
(x) Negro;
(xi) Negro of African Descent;
(xii) Negro of the African Race;
(xiii) Octoroon;
(xiv) Quadroon;
(xv) Slave; or
(xvi) any other classification used by the
United States Census Bureau or a State for an
individual of the African diaspora; or
(B) any other form of proof as the Secretary may
authorize for an individual to verify that such
individual is a descendent of an individual who was
enslaved in the United States.
(4) Preference.--An HBCU receiving a grant under this Act
may indicate to the Secretary whether such HBCU prefers to
perform the verification required under this subsection.
(d) Funding.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated,
and there are appropriated (in addition to any other amounts
appropriated to carry out this Act and out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated), for the Secretary of
Education to carry out this Act.
(2) Reservation.--Of the funds appropriated under paragraph
(1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 5 percent of
such funds to--
(A) carry out the requirements under subsection (c)
for each HBCU receiving a grant under this Act, other
than an HBCU described in subparagraph (B);
(B) in the case of an HBCU that is performing the
verification under subsection (c) for the students
attending such HBCU, provide an amount from such funds
to the HBCU to perform such verification; and
(C) provide grants to each HBCU for administrative
costs of carrying out the activities described in
subsection (b).
(e) Definitions.--For the purposes of this Act:
(1) Historically black college or university.--The term
``Historically Black college or university'' has the meaning
given the term ``part B institution'' in section 322 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001).
(3) Qualified student.--The term ``qualified student''
means any undergraduate student that--
(A) is enrolled, on a full-time basis, at a
Historically Black college or university; and
(B) has been determined under subsection (c) to be
a descendent of an individual who was enslaved in the
United States.
SEC. 3. HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 1965 AMENDMENT.
Part F of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended
by inserting after section 479C (20 U.S.C. 1087uu-1) the following:
``SEC. 479CC. STUDENTS WHO ARE DESCENDENTS OF ENSLAVED INDIVIDUALS.
``(a) Student Aid Index Computation.--In determining the student
aid index for a qualified student, computations performed pursuant to
part F of this Act shall exclude any scholarship awarded to a qualified
student under the Heritage Legacy Act.
``(b) Qualified Student Defined.--The term `qualified student' has
the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Heritage Legacy Act.''.
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