Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3527

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-05-21: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2026-06-03T08:08:56Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2025 aims to improve the health and well-being of young people (ages 10-29) by funding comprehensive, evidence-based sex education and sexual health services. It emphasizes empowering youth to make informed decisions about their bodies, health, sexuality, and relationships while addressing historical inequities, such as those rooted in racism, oppression, and inadequate access for underserved groups. The Act promotes "Reproductive Justice," which means ensuring all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or other factors, can control decisions about their health and families.

Key Provisions

• Definitions (Section 3): Establishes clear terms, such as "sex education" (teaching on topics like puberty, consent, STIs, contraception, and healthy relationships, aligned with national standards); "sexual health services" (including contraception, STI testing, counseling, and mental health support); "consent" (affirmative agreement to activities); "culturally responsive" (tailored to diverse identities and addressing barriers like racism); and "underserved young people" (groups facing barriers, e.g., people of color, LGBTQ+ youth, low-income families, immigrants, or those in foster care).

• Grants for Sex Education in Schools and Youth Organizations (Section 4): Awards 5-year competitive grants to public or private entities (prioritizing state/local education agencies and Tribal organizations) to deliver age-appropriate sex education covering topics like anatomy, gender identity, STIs, consent, and violence prevention.

• Grants for Sex Education in Higher Education (Section 5): Provides 5-year grants to colleges or consortia (prioritizing minority-serving institutions, e.g., Hispanic-serving or Tribal colleges) to integrate sex education into orientations, courses, peer programs, or technology-based delivery, and link students to services.

• Grants for Educator Training (Section 6): Funds 5-year grants to education agencies, health departments, nonprofits, or Tribes for professional development on teaching sex education effectively, including anti-racist and gender-inclusive practices, research dissemination, and subgrants for materials in multiple languages.

• Grants for Sexual Health Services (Section 7): Offers 5-year competitive grants to youth-serving organizations or certain health clinics to provide "youth-friendly" services (confidential, accessible, and culturally tailored) to underserved youth, including outreach, referrals, partnerships, and staff training.

• Reporting and Evaluation (Section 8): Requires grantees to report annually on fund use and access improvements. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) must submit yearly reports to Congress on grant activities, youth served (disaggregated by race, gender, etc., without revealing personal info), and trained educators. An independent multi-year evaluation assesses program impacts, with results public by 2031.

• Nondiscrimination (Section 9): Prohibits discrimination in funded activities based on sex, gender identity, race, disability, etc., and preserves existing civil rights protections (e.g., Title IX, ADA).

• Limitations on Fund Use (Section 10): Bans funds for programs that withhold key health info, promote stereotypes, ignore needs of sexually active/pregnant youth or survivors of violence, or exclude diverse genders/orientations.

• Funding (Section 12): Authorizes $100 million annually from fiscal years 2026-2031, with reservations: up to 30% for K-12/youth orgs, 10% for higher ed, 15% for training, 30% for services, 5% for evaluation, and 10% for HHS research/technical assistance. Transfers unobligated funds from the former abstinence-only program and repeals it.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Repeal of Abstinence-Only Program: Eliminates Section 510 of the Social Security Act, which funded programs promoting abstinence until marriage (often criticized as ineffective and exclusionary), and redirects its funds to this Act.

• Amendments to Public Health Service Act (Section 11(a)): Removes subsections on abstinence-focused HIV education, replacing them with requirements for programs to include info on intravenous drug use risks, broadening focus to comprehensive health education.

• Amendments to Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Section 11(b)): Strikes provisions restricting federal funds for sex education that discusses condoms or safer sex (paragraphs 3, 5, 6), and redesignates others, removing barriers to comprehensive content in schools.

These changes shift federal policy from narrow, abstinence-only approaches to inclusive, evidence-based education and services.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: HHS (in coordination with the Department of Education) will administer grants, evaluations, and reporting, increasing administrative workload but providing new funding streams. State/local agencies and Tribes gain resources for training and programs, potentially standardizing sex education nationwide.

• On Citizens: Young people, especially underserved groups, could gain better access to accurate, inclusive education and services, potentially reducing STIs, unintended pregnancies, and violence while addressing health disparities (e.g., higher STI rates among Black, Indigenous, and Latine youth). Educators and health providers receive training to deliver equitable care. Broader society may see long-term benefits like improved public health and reduced inequities.

• On International Relations: No direct impacts mentioned; the Act focuses on domestic U.S. education and health systems.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Young People (Ages 10-29): Primary beneficiaries, particularly underserved groups like people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, low-income youth, immigrants, those in foster/juvenile systems, pregnant/parenting teens, and rural residents.

• Educational Institutions: State/local education agencies, schools, colleges (especially minority-serving ones), and Tribal organizations, which can apply for grants to expand programs.

• Health and Youth-Serving Organizations: Clinics, nonprofits, and departments providing services, gaining funds for outreach and delivery to vulnerable youth.

• Educators and Providers: Teachers, faculty, health staff, and administrators, who receive training to implement inclusive curricula.

• Communities and Families: Underserved communities affected by historical inequities (e.g., eugenics, forced sterilization) may see redress through culturally responsive programs.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: Reinforces federal civil rights laws (e.g., Civil Rights Act, Title IX) by mandating nondiscrimination and prohibiting stereotypical or exclusionary content, potentially strengthening lawsuits against discriminatory education practices. The evaluation requirement ensures accountability through data-driven assessments.

• Constitutional Implications: Supports equal protection under the 14th Amendment by addressing systemic inequities in health/education access. Could intersect with 1st Amendment free speech rights in curricula but emphasizes voluntary, evidence-based teaching without mandating specific beliefs.

• Political Implications: Represents a policy pivot toward comprehensive, equity-focused sex education, critiquing past abstinence-only approaches as rooted in oppression. It may spark debates on parental involvement, school curricula, and federal overreach into state education, while aligning with public health goals amid rising youth STI rates and violence.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

Cosponsors (23)

Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]

Recent Actions

• 2025-05-21: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-21: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-21: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-21: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-21 — PDF (33 pages)

Related Bills

• S. 1910 (119th Congress)