# 119-hr-2555: Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2026

119-hr-2555, Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9] (R-IN); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2555
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-2555
- Congress: 119
- Title: Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2026
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-04-01
- Sponsor: Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9] (R-IN)
- Cosponsors: 46
- Policy area: Education
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-11-01

## Summary

**This bill would codify protections for students to join, lead, and participate in single-sex social organizations, centering student *freedom of association for single-sex groups*.** It would block colleges that get Higher Education Act funds from coercing students or punishing them for membership based on an organization's one‑sex membership practice. - Students: It would let any enrolled student form, apply to, join, participate in, or lead a single-sex social organization whether or not the group is officially recognized. It bars coercive waivers and many adverse actions such as expulsion, suspension, denial of housing, or withholding financial assistance when those actions target membership practices. - Institutions and groups: It would prohibit institutions from taking adverse actions or imposing recruitment limits on single-sex organizations that are not applied to other groups unless a written agreement allows it. It preserves institutions' ability to discipline for misconduct and allows private religious schools to act when a conflict stems from their religious mission, so long as the action is not based on the group's membership rule. - Scope and definitions: Protections would apply to any institution receiving funds under the Higher Education Act, including participation in Title IV programs. The bill defines "single-sex social organization" and defines "sex" as biological male or female tied to reproductive biology.

## Cosponsors (46)

- Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] (D-CA), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1] (R-KS), 2025-04-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large] (R-SD), 2025-04-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15] (R-OH), 2025-04-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] (R-WI), 2025-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8] (R-AZ), 2025-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7] (R-SC), 2025-07-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2] (R-IA), 2025-08-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1] (R-UT), 2025-10-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11] (D-VA), 2025-12-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3] (R-AL), 2026-01-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9] (R-NC), 2026-02-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24] (R-TX), 2026-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2] (D-GA), 2026-04-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5] (R-NC), 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24] (R-NY), 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21] (R-NY), 2026-04-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ), 2026-04-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25] (R-TX), 2026-04-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2] (R-VA), 2026-04-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2] (R-TN), 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2] (R-OH), 2026-04-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5] (R-SC), 2026-04-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6] (R-IN), 2026-04-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7] (D-AZ), 2026-04-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8] (R-GA), 2026-04-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1] (R-NY), 2026-04-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] (R-FL), 2026-04-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3] (D-KS), 2026-04-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fine, Randy [R-FL-6] (R-FL), 2026-04-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17] (R-TX), 2026-04-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3] (R-WI), 2026-04-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC), 2026-04-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6] (D-GA), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] (D-MD), 2026-05-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-05-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5] (R-OK), 2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8] (R-NC), 2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (R-WA), 2026-05-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rose, John W. [R-TN-6] (R-TN), 2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3] (R-MS), 2026-06-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2] (R-KS), 2026-06-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (R-VA), 2026-06-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] (R-PA), 2026-06-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1] (D-OH), 2026-06-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hill, J. French [R-AR-2] (R-AR), 2026-08-10T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Protections for students in single-sex groups: benefit, low. If enacted, students at colleges that get HEA federal money would be able to form, join, or lead single-sex social groups of their sex, even if the school does not officially recognize the group. If chosen by a group, students would be able to join and take leadership subject to the group's own rul…
- Schools' recognition and discipline limits: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would not force colleges to officially recognize a single-sex group. If enacted, colleges could still discipline students for academic or nonacademic misconduct or for groups whose purpose is to incite imminent lawless action. If enacted, private colleges could act when a group…
- Who counts for single-sex groups: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would say which groups count as single-sex social organizations. That includes some tax-exempt fraternities and sororities and private off-campus clubs made mostly of students or alumni. If enacted, the bill would also define "sex" as biological male or female tied to reproduct…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025
- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
- 119-hr-8800: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
- 119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-2555 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2555)

## Related
- [119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-909)
- [119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-979)
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3514)
- [119-hr-8800: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8800)
- [119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1422)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2555 (as of 2026-11-01).