H.R. 5505 · On the floor · Education

Equal Campus Access Act of 2026

Sponsor: Tim Walberg (R-MI)

What it does

• Prohibits federal Higher Education Act funding to public institutions that deny religious student organizations rights, benefits, or privileges afforded to other student groups based on the organization's religious belie
• Applies the funding restriction to public institutions of higher education receiving federal funds under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
• Covers denials based on religious student organizations' leadership standards or standards of conduct.

Official summary

Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 This bill prohibits funding made available under the Higher Education Act of 1965 from being provided to any public institution of higher education (IHE) that denies certain campus rights to religious student organizations. Specifically, the bill prohibits a public IHE from receiving these funds if it denies a religious student organization any right, benefit, or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the IHE because of the religious student organization's beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or standards of conduct.

Latest action

Sep 16, 2026: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 730.

Committee: House Education and Workforce