S5573Referred to Committee

Religious Education Fairness Act

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Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-09-29
Introduced
1
Cosponsors
S
ⓘ
Type

Sponsor

James Lankford
James Lankford
Republican · OK · Senator
Votes with party: 77.1% (909 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/L000575

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (1)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

2026-09-29

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

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Plain-English Summary

Plain-English summary pending. Introduced on 2026-09-29. Check back soon — summaries are generated as bills progress through Congress.

Full Bill Text

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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 5573 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5573 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide that educational programs classified as Theology and Religious Vocations or Philosophy and Religious Studies at educational institutions that qualify for the religious exemption under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 are not subject to ineligibility for title IV assistance based on low earning outcomes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 29, 2026 Mr. Lankford (for himself and Mr. Cruz) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide that educational programs classified as Theology and Religious Vocations or Philosophy and Religious Studies at educational institutions that qualify for the religious exemption under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 are not subject to ineligibility for title IV assistance based on low earning outcomes. 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 ``Religious Education Fairness Act''. SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS EXERCISE. Section 454(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087d(c)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``An educational program'' and inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (8), an educational program''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(8) Protection of religious exercise.--An educational program at an institution is not subject to this subsection if the program is classified under the `Theology and Religious Vocations' or `Philosophy and Religious Studies' under the Classification of Instructional Programs maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics at an institution that qualifies for the religious exemption provided under section 901(a)(3) of the Education Amendments of 1972 and section 106.12(c) of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).''. <all>
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