To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize grants for institutions of higher education serving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

January 8, 2003

Mr. WU (for himself, Mr. HONDA, Mr. MATSUI, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. WATSON, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. WOOLSEY, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. WYNN, and Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

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. 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 2004 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.'.

END