Bills · HR 8264
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 8264Education
HBCU Research Capacity Act
This bill establishes a central government information hub to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities find and apply for federal research grants more easily.AI-written
INTRO APR 14· LAST ACTION APR 14
READING
5MIN
COSPONSORS
7BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
tl;dr
AI-writtenCreates a one-stop federal hub for HBCUs to find research grants and best practices, requiring major agencies like NASA and the NSF to identify funding gaps that hinder Black colleges.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenResearch funding is a major driver of innovation and economic growth, but it is currently concentrated in a small number of institutions. By helping HBCUs access more of the $60 billion spent annually on federal research, this bill aims to diversify the American scientific workforce and ensure that more communities benefit from federal investment. If this becomes law, HBCUs may find it easier to upgrade their labs and hire more researchers; if it doesn't, many of these schools may continue to struggle with the 'vicious cycle' of having too few resources to win the grants that would provide those resources.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Establishes a Federal Clearinghouse on Research Capacity and Grant Opportunities for HBCUs.
It centralizes complex grant information that is currently scattered across dozens of different government agencies.
PROVISION 02
Requires collaboration between the Department of Education and seven other major agencies, including NASA and the Department of Defense.
This ensures that HBCUs have access to high-tech research opportunities outside of traditional education grants.
PROVISION 03
Mandates an annual 'gap analysis' report to Congress identifying research needs that existing grants don't cover.
It forces the government to admit where its current funding programs are failing to support HBCU growth.
PROVISION 04
Provides for quarterly updates and direct notification to HBCUs about new opportunities.
It keeps schools informed in real-time so they don't miss out on short-lived or specialized funding windows.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 7
R· Arkansas
YRS IN OFFICE
11
BILLS LED
33
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 86%
DEM 4 REP 3 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSAPR 14
Introduced in House
APR 14
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 8264
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedApr 14, 2026
Last actionApr 14, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 14, 2026
House BillHR 8264Education
HBCU Research Capacity Act
This bill establishes a central government information hub to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities find and apply for federal research grants more easily.AI-written
INTRODUCED APR 14, 2026· LAST ACTION APR 14, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
5 min
COSPONSORS
7
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
