Identity of Speakers
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n/a
Student
Other
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Right wing -
Incident Responses:
Other
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Incident Status:
No litigation
Other
- Did not involve Speech Codes
Summary
In September 2025, Senators James Lankford, Tim Scott, and Shelley Moore Capito reintroduced the Equal Campus Access Act in the U.S. Senate, with a companion bill in the House of Representatives. The legislation aimed to protect religious student organizations on public college campuses from discrimination, ensuring they could not be denied recognition or benefits based on their beliefs, practices, speech, or leadership standards, with noncompliant institutions risking loss of federal funding.
The bill had originally been introduced in 2023 after the Biden administration proposed removing a rule established during President Trump’s first term that prohibited discrimination against religious student organizations. Supporters argued the legislation was necessary to codify these protections into federal law and uphold students’ First Amendment rights. Senators Lankford and Capito emphasized the importance of allowing religious groups to assemble and practice freely on campus.
The legislation faced opposition from Democratic lawmakers and civil rights organizations, who argued it could undermine existing anti-discrimination policies, particularly protections for LGBTQ+ students and faculty. Critics warned the bill might allow religious groups to exclude LGBTQ+ individuals from membership or leadership positions. Supporters countered that the measure was essential to safeguarding religious freedom.
