Extensions of Remarks

11898 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS June 9, 1981 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS BILL TARGETS FUNDS TO 1890 pose of this bill is to provide $10,000,000 for Yet, over 60 percent of the degrees awarded LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS each of fiscal years 1981 through 1985 to to black students last year were awarded at the sixteen 1890 public land-grant colleges, the historically black institutions. Further and Tuskegee Institute, a private college more, the majority of our black doctors, HON. HAROLD E. FORD that has had a historical role in agriculture lawyers, dentists, and other professionals OF TENNESSEE instruction and research. are graduates of the historically black col IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The funds are to be used for assisting leges. these colleges and universities in the pur Tuesday, June 9, 1981 As you know, the primary mission of any chase of equipment and land, and the plan institution of higher education is instruc • Mr. FORD of Tennessee. Mr. Speak ning, construction, alteration, or renovation tion, research, and public service. The 1890 er, recently I submitted testimony on of buildings to strengthen their capacity for institutions have done an outstanding job in H.R. 1309 before the Subcommittee on research in the food and agricultural sci instruction and public service, but they have Department Operations, Research and ences. never received adequate funding in order to Foreign Agriculture. This bill calls for These seventeen 1890 institutions in our conduct research or to create an environ nation. They are Alabama A & M University ment conducive to conducting research. the Department of Agriculture to allo <1875>; University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Most do not receive funds from their respec cate $10 million per year for the next <1873>; Delaware State College <1891>; Flor tive States to conduct research, especially in 5 years to the 16 1890 land-grant insti ida A & M University <1873>; Fort Valley the area of agriculture, despite their land tutions and Tuskegee Institute. State College, Georgia <1895>; Kentucky grant mission. These moneys are catchup funds for State University <1886>; Southern Universi Furthermore, the 1890 institutions were years of neglect by the Federal Gov ty, Louisiana <1880>; University of Mary not eligible to participate in the facilities ernment as well as the States in which land-Eastern Shore <1886>; Alcorn State programs provided in the late 1960's and University, Mississippi <1871>; Lincoln Uni early 1970's by the Federal Government. these institutions are located. The versity, Missouri <1866>; North Carolina A & funds will be used to purchase equip Under the Research Facilities Act of 1963, T State University <1891>; Langston State only the 1862 land-grant institutions were ment and land, and in the planning, University, Oklahoma <1897>; South Caroli permitted to participate in this program. construction, alteration and/ or ren na State College <1897>; Tennessee State Not until 1967 did the Federal Government ovation of buildings to strengthen University <1912>; Prairie View A & M Uni start to provide research funds to the 1890 their capacity for research in the food versity, Texas <1876>; Virginia State Univer programs. As you know, these funds were and agricultural sciences. sity <1882>; Tuskegee Institute, Alabama for research projects, and not for construct The 1890 institutions are all histori (1881). ing research facilities. cally black institutions created by I stand before you today as a proud alum Without adequate research facilities, the nus of one of these 1890 institutions-Ten 1890 institutions have had to perform mir States during the second Morrill Act. nessee State University-and I have 11 They were created because, rather acles in order to conduct research. other brothers and sisters who also attend Currently, many of the 1890 institutions than educate black students at the ex ed that fine institution in Nashville. are using classrooms as make-shift research isting 1862 land-grant institutions Now, let us first remember why we have facilities. How can one conduct research started through the first Morrill Act, 1890 institutions, all which are historically without adequate facilities for research? the States opted to build, in exchange black colleges and universities generally lo cated in the Southern region of the United They have been forced to limit agriculture for Federal land, separate institutions States. research programs as the result of inad for black students. These colleges and universities are called equate funding for this purpose. It not only The 1890 institutions, throughout 1890 land-grant institutions because of the shortchanges the faculty at the 1890 land their nearly 100 year history, were second Morrill Act of 1890 as opposed to the grant institutions who are capable of agri never funded to par as the 1862 insti first Morrill Act of 1862. These two acts, culture-related research and the students often called the land-grants acts, estab who could gain first-hand knowledge and tutions were. They were charged with experience from participating in research, the responsibility of providing instruc lished the public land-grant institutions. We must also remember that in the 1800's but the country and the entire world as a tion, public service, and research, but the States in which these institutions are lo whole is also shortchanged. not provided funds to establish a re cated were told that they had to provide I should also note that, despite this handi search environment. education to their black citizens at the ex cap, the 1890 institutions still have managed H.R. 1309 does not correct all the isting segregated 1862 land-grant institu to contribute to the state of the art regard problems that have resulted through tions. ing agricultural research. 100 years of neglect toward the 1890 Instead of integrating the public institu Furthermore, at a time when many insti institutions. It does, at least, recognize tions established under the Morrill Act of tutions have been accused of catering to the the initial need to adequately fund 1862, they opted to establish segregated in big agri-businesses, the Fortune 500 of agri stitutions for blacks which were funded culture, the 1890 institutions have concen these institutions in order for them to through the Morrill Act of 1890. Thus, each trated on conducting research that benefits have greater participation in solving of these States today still has two land the small farmer who still comprises the the various food and agriculture relat grant institutions-one established under majority of all farmers in this·country and ed problems of the world. the 1862 land-grant act and the other under the world. Following is a copy of my testimony the 1890 act. So now we have an interesting situation. submitted at the Agriculture Subcom However, the 1890 institutions were never Seventeen colleges charged by their States mittee on Department Operations, Re adequately funded the way they should and the Federal Government with the re search, and Foreign Agriculture's have been by the various States. With as sponsibility of research, as one of their sistance from the various States and the prime missions, and, yet, not getting re recent hearing. Federal Government, the 1862 institutions search money from the State or the govern T!:sTIIIONY OF CONGRESSMAN HAROLD FORD were permitted to thrive and expand, while ment. At the same time, not being provided OF TI:NNI:sSEE ON ADDITIONAL FuNDING FOR the 1890 institutions received meager fund the funds to construct facilities in which to 1890 LAND-GRANT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSI· ing from both their respective State and the conduct research. TIES, INCLUDING TuSKEGEE INSTITUTE <H.R. Federal Government. I wholeheartedly endorse H.R. 1309 and 1309) ·Yet, these institutions, in addition to the its purpose. However, I only wish that more Mr. Chairman and distinguished members nation's 85 other historically black colleges could be done. These funds are considered of the Subcommittee on Department Oper and universities, have done a magnificent "catch-up" funds for years of past neglect. ations, Research and Foreign Agriculture. It job under difficult circumstances. Today, The funds are also in recognition of the role Is my honor to present testimony on H.R. forty percent <176,000> of all black students that the 1890 land-grant institutions must 1309 before my colleagues today. The pur- still attend historically black institutions. play in helping to resolve food and nutrition e This "bullet.. symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. June 9, 1981 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 11899 problems, not only in this country, but in many members of UNESCO are pro stitution of the Soviet Union and its satel ternationally as well. We must remember posing is nothing but a transparent at lites mean nothing. The battle will have to that almost one-fourth of the world still tempt to stifle freedom of the press in be fought in and by the free press itself, es goes to bed hungry at night. the interest of protecting governments pecially the free press in those parts of the However, it should be noted that even if world where it still exists and is threat H.R. 1309 is approved, and we disregard the which fear the free flow of informa ened.e proposed formula and simply divide the tion. annual $10,000,000 by the seventeen 1890 Mr. Speaker, an excellent editorial land-grant institutions, each one will get ap on this subject appeared in the Chica COWBOY ECONOMICS-A CRI proximately $588,000. Remember now, most go Tribune of Tuesday, June 2, 1981, TIQUE OF SUPPLY-BIDE ECO of the 1890 institutions are 100 years old which I offer here for my colleagues' NOMICS and have been through their history ne attention.

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