Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY 1 MAART, 2017

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 1 March 2017
Trump signs executive order on black colleges

ERRIN HAINES WHACK D-Texas, a member of the
Associated Press House Budget Committee,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- was more skeptical.
dent Donald Trump signed “There is no substance at
an executive order Tues- this point,” she said Mon-
day aimed at signaling his day, adding that she is
commitment to historically waiting to see the contents
black colleges and uni- of Trump’s executive order,
versities, saying that those and what Congress does
schools will be “an abso- during the budget process.
lute priority for this White Trump’s order moves the
House.” Initiative on Historically
HBCU presidents are hop- Black Colleges and Uni-
ing Congress will bol- versities from the Depart-
ster Trump’s actions to ment of Education into
strengthen the schools with the executive office of
dramatically increased the White House. It di-
funding in the upcom- rects the initiative to work
ing federal budget. They with the private sector to
are calling for $25 billion strengthen the fiscal stabil-
for infrastructure, college ity of HBCUS, make infra-
readiness, financial aid structure improvements,
and other priorities. Under provide job opportunities
President Barack Obama’s President Donald Trump signs the Historically Black Colleges and Universities HBCU Executive Or- for students, work with sec-
administration, historically der, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington. ondary schools to create
black colleges and uni- (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) a college pipeline and
versities received $4 billion dents also went to Capitol ments. were currently no concrete increase access and op-
over seven years. Hill on Tuesday to lobby “This is a great day for my plans for increased fund- portunity for federal grants
“The next step is the bud- Congress for more funding. membership and a great ing. Several of them at- and contracts. It does not
get. You cannot have Taylor said the $25 billion day for America,” said Lezli tended meetings Tuesday specify how much federal
mission without money,” is needed to make up for Baskerville, head of the Na- that Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., money the colleges should
Thurgood Marshall College years of underfunding and tional Association For Equal and Rep. Mark Walker, R- receive. The moves are
Fund President Johnny Tay- would cover the country’s Opportunity in Education, N.C., arranged with HBCU among the actions some
lor told reporters outside more than 100 HBCUs. an umbrella group for pub- presidents, GOP officials college presidents said
the White House after the Several presidents and lic, private and land-grant and business leaders. they would like to see from
signing ceremony. HBCU advocacy organiza- HBCUs. Scott said he and Walker the new administration.
Many of the college presi- tions echoed Taylor’s senti- GOP lawmakers said there planned to personally push Some of them decided to
for more money for black come to Washington over
colleges, and “hopefully the objections of students
we will be more successful and alumni, saying they
than they have been in the can ill afford to play politics
last few years.” while Trump moves quickly
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, to set priorities.q
Trump’s budget plan has billions
for border, huge cuts elsewhere

ALICIA CALDWELL elimination of the programs
Associated Press isn’t spelled out. Trump has
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- made fighting terrorism a
dent Donald Trump wants top priority and his overall
billions of dollars to start budget outline calls for sig-
building a wall at the Mexi- nificant increases in military
can border and fund ef- spending.
forts to find, jail and deport The Homeland Security
immigrants in the country il- budget outline includes
legally, according to White money to start hiring new
House budget documents immigration and border
The Associated Press ob- agents. It largely adheres
tained on Tuesday. to Trump’s promises to bol-
The Office and Manage- ster security at the Mexican
ment and Budget’s finan- border and crack down on
cial outline for the De- illegal immigration in the
partment of Homeland United States. The Depart-
Security also calls on the ment of Homeland Secu-
Coast Guard to scrap the rity declined to comment
agency’s counterterrorism on the documents, which
Maritime Security Response are labeled “pre-decision-
Team, and all of its Mari- al” and “not for public re-
time Safety and Security lease,” referring questions
Teams. The rationale for the to the White House. q