PRIORITIZING EDUCATION: President Donald J. Trump has made supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) a priority of his Administration.
- Barely a month after taking office, President Trump signed an Executive Order to move the Federal HBCU initiative back to the White House – making sure it is a key priority.
- President Trump directed agencies across his Administration to develop plans to enhance their support for HBCUs.
- President Trump has signed legislation increasing Federal funding for HBCUs.
- The President signed legislation that added more than $100 million for scholarships, research, and centers of excellence at HBCU land grant institutions.
- The Administration relaunched the HBCU Capital Finance Board to make millions of dollars available to support HBCUs’ long-term growth and improvement.
- The Administration has announced that any restrictions on those funds going to institutions with a religious mission is unconstitutional.
- The Administration is rethinking college by reducing regulatory burdens, promoting innovation, strengthening accountability, and respecting the unique mission of each school.
LIFTING UP COMMUNITIES: President Trump is ensuring that no citizen is forgotten and no community is ignored.
- President Trump’s America First agenda is spurring investment and revitalization in our country’s most underserved communities.
- President Trump signed legislation creating Opportunity Zones, a game-changing vehicle to spur new capital investment in America’s economically distressed communities.
- Nearly 9,000 communities in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and 5 Territories have been designated as Opportunity Zones.
- Opportunity Zones are projected to attract $100 billion in private investments to the American communities that need these investments most.
- President Trump created a White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council to help ensure we are lifting up these communities.
- Since its creation, the Council has taken action to deliver additional Federal support to Opportunity Zones.
- Median income for African-American-headed households rose by 2.6 percent between 2017 and 2018.
- The poverty rates for African Americans and Hispanic Americans each reached new series lows in 2018.
- Nearly 2.5 million have been lifted out of poverty in the first two years of the Administration.
INVESTING IN OUR WORKFORCE: President Trump is promoting workforce development to ensure all Americans share in our historic economic revival.
- President Trump is supporting American workers to ensure all Americans can benefit from today’s thriving economy.
- More than 350 companies have signed President Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” offering more than 13 million employment, education, and training opportunities.
- President Trump’s National Council for the American Worker is developing strategies for training and retraining workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
- Last year, the President signed legislation reauthorizing nearly $1.3 billion in funding for career and technical education, benefitting millions of Americans.
- The President’s pro-growth policies are generating millions of new jobs – creating more and more opportunities for American workers.
- More than 6.3 million new jobs have been created since President Trump’s election and job openings continue to far exceed the number of job seekers.
CREATING A FAIRER JUSTICE SYSTEM: President Trump’s criminal justice reforms are keeping our communities safe and giving Americans a second chance to succeed.
- President Trump is ensuring that former prisoners have the opportunity to find jobs and build meaningful lives after rejoining their communities.
- The President signed the groundbreaking First Step Act, enacting historic reforms to make our criminal justice system fairer for all and to help prepare prisoners to successfully rejoin society.
- These reforms helped to remedy unfair sentencing provisions that disproportionately hurt African Americans.
- This historic legislation promotes prisoner participation in vocational training, educational coursework, or faith-based programs.
- These reforms help keep all Americans safe by giving former prisoners the chance to find purpose and contribute to our economy, rather than returning to crime.
- President Trump is promoting second chance hiring to offer prisoners an opportunity to achieve the American dream.
- Departments and agencies across the Government are enacting initiatives to promote second chance hiring opportunities.
