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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5796 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5796
To establish a grant program for certain institutions of higher
education to plan and implement projects for economic and community
development in economically distressed communities, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 21, 2025
Mr. Costa (for himself and Mr. Westerman) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a grant program for certain institutions of higher
education to plan and implement projects for economic and community
development in economically distressed communities, 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 ``Boosting University Investments in
Low-Income Districts Act'' or the ``BUILD Act''.
SEC. 2. DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a program to
award grants to institutions of higher education designated under
subsection (b) to plan and implement eligible projects for economic and
community development in economically distressed communities.
(b) Designation of Institutions of Higher Education.--
(1) List of institutions of higher education.--The
Secretary shall develop a list of every institution of higher
education that the Secretary determines is located in a
distressed community, in accordance with the criteria described
in paragraph (2).
(2) Distressed community criteria.--The Secretary shall
determine that an institution of higher education is located in
a distressed community if one of the following circumstances
applies to such institution:
(A) In the case of an institution of higher
education that is located in a metropolitan or a
micropolitan statistical area, as defined by the Office
of Management and Budget, and in a State in which the
median family income is higher than the national median
family income, the institution of higher education is
located in a ZIP Code in which the median family income
is at least 25 percent lower than the median family
income for such State.
(B) In the case of an institution of higher
education that is located in a metropolitan or a
micropolitan statistical area, as defined by the Office
of Management and Budget, and in a State in which the
median family income is lower than the national median
family income, the institution of higher education is
located in a Zip Code in which the median family income
is at least 25 percent lower than the national median
family income.
(C) In the case of an institution of higher
education that is not located in a metropolitan or
micropolitan statistical area and is located in a State
in which the median family income is higher than the
national median family income, the institution of
higher education is located in a county in which the
median family income is at least 25 percent lower than
the median family income for such State.
(D) In the case of an institution of higher
education that is not located in a metropolitan or
micropolitan statistical area and is located in a State
in which the median family income is lower than the
national median family income, the institution of
higher education is located in a county in which the
median family income is at least 25 percent lower than
the national median family income.
(3) Designation.--
(A) Notification to institutions of higher
education.--Upon development of the list of
institutions of higher education located in a
distressed community under paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall notify each institution of higher education that
is included in such list that such institution may be
designated under this paragraph to receive a planning
grant and an implementation grant under this section.
(B) Notification to secretary.--An institution of
higher education that receives a notification from the
Secretary under subparagraph (A) that intends to
receive a planning grant and an implementation grant
under this section shall submit to the Secretary a
notification of such intent in such form and at such
time as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(C) Grant eligibility.--The Secretary shall
designate each institution of higher education that
submits a notification under subparagraph (B) as
eligible to receive a planning grant and an
implementation grant under this section.
(c) Planning Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide a grant to
each institution of higher education designated under
subsection (b) for such institution to develop an
implementation plan describing--
(A) the eligible projects that such institution
intends to carry out with an implementation grant under
subsection (d); and
(B) how such projects will support economic and
community revitalization in the community in which such
institution is located.
(2) Implementation plan.--
(A) In general.--A recipient of a planning grant
under this subsection shall complete the implementation
plan required under paragraph (1) not later than 2
years after the date on which the Secretary provides a
planning grant to such recipient.
(B) Approval.--Upon completion of an implementation
plan with a planning grant provided under this
subsection, the Secretary shall review such plan for
approval.
(3) Grant amounts.--
(A) Grant term.--The Secretary may distribute funds
for a grant provided under this subsection for a period
of not more than 2 years.
(B) Total grant amounts.--Each grant awarded under
this subsection shall be in an amount that does not
exceed $100,000 for each year of the grant term.
(C) Additional amounts.--
(i) Application for additional grant
funds.--Not later than 1 year after grant funds
are first awarded under subparagraph (A), a
grant recipient may submit to the Secretary an
application to receive additional funds to
complete the implementation plan required under
paragraph (1).
(ii) Deadline to receive additional grant
funds.--Not later than 90 days after a grant
recipient submits an application for additional
grant funds under clause (i), the Secretary
shall determine whether to award additional
grant funds to such recipient and shall
distribute such additional grant funds to such
recipient.
(D) Formula.--The Secretary shall establish a
formula by which the Secretary shall distribute funds
for each grant under this subsection in accordance with
this paragraph.
(d) Implementation Grants.--
(1) In general.--Upon approval of an implementation plan
under subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall provide a grant to
the institution of higher education to carry out eligible
projects described in such plan.
(2) Grant term.--The term of a grant provided under this
subsection shall be 5 years.
(3) Grant amounts.--The Secretary shall establish a formula
by which the Secretary shall distribute funds for each grant
under this subsection in accordance with the following
requirements:
(A) The Secretary shall provide each recipient of a
grant under this subsection with a grant in an amount
that is not less than $25,000,000 and not more than
$50,000,000.
(B) The Secretary shall distribute funds for each
grant under this subsection at least once during each
year of the grant term.
(4) Use of funds.--A recipient of a grant under this
subsection may only use such grant to carry out an eligible
project in the distressed community in which such recipient is
located, as determined by the Secretary under subsection
(b)(2).
(5) Report required.--At least once each year during the
term of a grant provided under this subsection, a recipient of
such grant shall submit to the Secretary a report describing
the activities for which such grant was used during such year.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible project.--The term ``eligible project'' means
a project that will spur economic development in the community
in which such project is carried out, including a project to--
(A) renovate, construct, or maintain buildings that
will benefit and be accessible to the community,
including--
(i) commercial buildings located on the
campus of the institution of higher education
carrying out the project;
(ii) housing for students, faculty, staff,
or members of the community;
(iii) cultural institutions such as
museums, theaters, and arts centers; and
(iv) facilities such as laboratories or
libraries;
(B) establish programs, hosted by the institution
of higher education carrying out the project, that
provide seed money to early-stage companies for small
business development;
(C) develop and fund apprenticeships, hosted by the
institution of higher education carrying out the
project, in local industries to decrease unemployment
in the community;
(D) build and maintain municipal broadband networks
and related infrastructure for the institution of
higher education that is carrying out the project and
the community;
(E) build and maintain health clinics accessible to
the public on or near the campus of the institution of
higher education that is carrying out the project;
(F) establish programs at local health clinics to
educate, recruit, and train members of the community to
become healthcare professionals;
(G) establish partnerships between the institution
of higher education carrying out the project and local
school districts to provide--
(i) graduate student teaching support;
(ii) administrative support to such school
districts; and
(iii) access to facilities of such
institution of higher education to local
elementary and secondary schools; and
(H) fund research on the campus of the institution
of higher education carrying out the project that is
relevant to the economic needs of the community.
(2) Institution of higher education.--
(A) In general.--The term ``institution of higher
education'' means an institution of higher education
(as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), including an
institution of higher education established under the
Morrill Act of 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), that--
(i) offers more than 50 percent of such
institution's courses by correspondence; and
(ii) enrolls 50 percent or more of the
institution's students in correspondence
courses.
(B) Exclusion.--The term ``institution of higher
education'' does not include an institution of higher
education that--
(i) is an institution of higher education
established under the Morrill Act of 1862 (7
U.S.C. 301 et seq.);
(ii) has very high research activity
status, as designated by the Carnegie
Classification of Institutions of Higher
Education; or
(iii) is a service academy.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Economic Development.
(4) Service academy.--The term ``service academy'' means
the following:
(A) The United States Military Academy.
(B) The United States Naval Academy.
(C) The United States Air Force Academy.
(D) The United States Coast Guard Academy.
(E) The United States Merchant Marine Academy.
(F) Any college or university designated by the
Secretary of Defense as a military college.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
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