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Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Protect Religious Student Organizations on College Campuses

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Senators from both sides of the aisle, led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), have introduced the Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 to safeguard the rights of religious student organizations on college campuses nationwide. The legislation aims to prevent discrimination against these groups and ensure they are granted the same rights as other student organizations.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 seeks to permanently codify protections for religious student organizations in law, following the Biden administration's proposal to roll back these protections.
  • The legislation is cosponsored by 31 senators, including Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and led by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) in the House of Representatives.
  • The bill is supported by 34 organizations, including the Christian Legal Society, Cru, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for Religious Liberty.
  • The legislation aims to ensure that public colleges, supported by taxpayers, extend the same rights to religious student groups as they do to any other student organization.
  • Senators believe that the ability to exercise one's faith must be protected on college campuses, particularly in a time of rising religious intolerance.

Statistics:

  • 31 senators have cosponsored the Equal Campus Access Act of 2025.
  • 34 organizations have supported the legislation, representing a wide range of Christian denominations and organizations.
  • The bill aims to protect the constitutional rights of religious student organizations, including freedom of religion, speech, and association.
  • The legislation is a response to the Biden administration's proposal to roll back protections for religious student organizations, which was proposed in 2023.

Sources:

  • Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
  • Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C)
  • Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.)
  • Christian Legal Society
  • Cru
  • InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA
  • Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
  • Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
  • US Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for Religious Liberty
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Seventh-day Adventist Church -- North American Division
  • Coalition for Jewish Values
  • Religious Freedom Institute
  • Coalition of Virtue
  • Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty
  • Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC)
  • National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)
  • 1st Amendment Partnership
  • Faith and Liberty in the Nation's Capital
  • Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee
  • Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty (CALL)
  • Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society / Asian American Christian Fellowship
  • The Impact Movement
  • ReJOYce in Jesus Campus Fellowship
  • Reformed University Fellowship National (RUF)
  • US Navigators
  • Young Life
  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
  • FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students)
  • Ratio Christi
  • Chi Alpha Campus Ministries
  • Sigma Alpha Omega Christian Sorority
  • Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
  • Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
  • Catholic Medical Association
  • Christian Medical and Dental Associations
  • Coptic Medical Association of North America (CMANA)
  • Anglican Chaplains / Anglican Office for Government and International Affairs (AOGIA)
  • Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
  • Association of Christian Schools International
  • American Association of Christian Schools
  • Fellowship of Christian University Students (Dallas, TX)
  • Georgia Baptist Mission Board
  • Michigan Catholic Conference
  • Queens Federation of Churches
  • Kansas Family Voice
  • Frontline Policy Council (Georgia)
  • New Jersey Family Policy Center
  • Maryland Family Institute

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