Congressional Hispanic Caucus Condemns Senate GOP Block of FUTURE Act

WASHINGTON — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, released the following statement opposing Senator Lamar Alexander's block of the Unanimous Consent of the FUTURE Act, which would extend funding of Minority Serving Institutions, including Hispanic Serving Institutions, that serve 6 million undergraduate students:

"It's reprehensible that Senator Alexander is intentionally denying critical education funding to over 6 million students of color. By the end of this month, funding for these historic institutions will expire and these students will lose out on $255 million over the next two years – funding that pays for STEM programs, academic counseling, and financial support for students in need. This can make the difference in a Latino student being able to afford college or gain the critical skills they need to be competitive in the workforce.

"These students need help now. Instead of making sure that Minority Serving Institutions get the funding they need, Republicans are blocking it in favor of a bill that this Senate is unlikely to even take up. It's time for Republicans to stop standing in the way of education funding that the American people need, especially those intended to help our communities of color."

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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.