Lankford Introduces Equal Campus Access Act to Protect Religious Student Organizations

Strategic Insights -

US Senators James Lankford, Tim Scott, and Congressman Tim Walberg have introduced the Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 to ensure that religious student organizations are not discriminated against on college campuses. This legislation aims to safeguard the Constitutionally protected rights of freedom of religion, speech, and association for students. The bill has been supported by numerous organizations, including the Christian Legal Society, Islamic Society of North America, and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for Religious Liberty. The move comes in response to the Biden Administration's proposal to roll back protections for religious student organizations, which Lankford and Scott have publicly opposed.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 has been introduced by Senators James Lankford, Tim Scott, and Congressman Tim Walberg to ensure that religious student organizations are not discriminated against on college campuses.
  • The legislation aims to permanently codify the protections for religious student organizations into law, reversing the Biden Administration's proposal to roll back these protections.
  • The bill has been supported by over 50 organizations, including the Christian Legal Society, Islamic Society of North America, and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for Religious Liberty.
  • Senators Lankford and Scott led a public comment letter urging the Department of Education to maintain the Trump-era Religious Liberty and Free Inquiry Rule, which the Biden Administration had proposed to rescind.
  • The move comes in response to concerns that the Biden Administration's proposal would undermine the foundational principle of academic freedom and the right to religious expression on college campuses.

Statistics:

  • 54 organizations have endorsed the Equal Campus Access Act of 2025, including the Christian Legal Society, Islamic Society of North America, and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for Religious Liberty.
  • The Biden Administration's proposal to roll back protections for religious student organizations was unprecedented, with no prior precedent in the history of student organizations on college campuses.
  • The Trump-era Religious Liberty and Free Inquiry Rule, which the Biden Administration proposed to rescind, had been in place since 2019 and had protected the rights of religious student organizations.

Sources:

  • [1] Lankford, James. "Lankford Moves to Safeguard Students' Freedom of Faith and Association on College Campuses." News Release, 18 Sep 2023. www.lankford.senate.gov/news/press-releases/lankford-moves-to-safeguard-students-freedom-of-faith-and-association-on-college-campuses/
  • [2] "Equal Campus Access Act of 2025." Congressional Budget Office, 2025. Congressional Record (Washington, D.C.: Government Publishing Office, 2025).