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119-s-5573119th CongressWALLET

Religious Education Fairness Act

Sponsored By: Senator Lankford, James [R-OK]

Introduced

Summary

Protects Title IV aid eligibility for certain religious studies programs. This bill would carve out programs coded as Theology and Religious Vocations or Philosophy and Religious Studies from the Higher Education Act's low-earnings ineligibility rule, but only for institutions that meet the statutory religious exemption.

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  • Students in those programs would keep access to federal student aid even if their programs show low post-graduation earnings. This preserves aid eligibility for people enrolled in those specific religious programs.
  • Religiously affiliated colleges and universities that qualify for the Education Amendments religious exemption would be able to maintain Title IV eligibility for the specified programs. This reduces the risk those programs face of losing federal aid based on earnings metrics.
  • Implementation hinges on Classification of Instructional Programs codes maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics and on existing religious exemption rules in federal law and regulations. This ties the carve-out to established program codes and exemption criteria.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Protect federal aid for religious programs

If enacted, this bill would stop a Title IV rule from making some religious-study programs ineligible for federal student aid because of low graduate earnings. The exemption would apply only to programs listed as "Theology and Religious Vocations" or "Philosophy and Religious Studies" in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs. It would apply only at schools that qualify for the religious exemption under section 901(a)(3) of the Education Amendments of 1972 and 34 C.F.R. §106.12(c), or a successor rule. Students would still need to meet all other Title IV eligibility rules to get federal grants or loans.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Lankford, James [R-OK]

OK • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 9/29/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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