Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 632
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-22: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-30T08:06:48Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2025" aims to restrict federal funding to colleges and universities that provide or support access to abortion drugs or procedures through on-campus health services, promoting restrictions on such services in higher education settings.
Key Provisions
- Funding Prohibition: Federal funds (direct or indirect, including contracts or subcontracts) cannot be awarded to any institution of higher education (IHE) that hosts or is affiliated with a "school-based service site" providing abortion drugs or abortions to the institution's students or employees of the institution or site.
- Annual Reporting Requirement: IHEs hosting or affiliated with such sites must submit an annual certification to the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, confirming that no abortion drugs or abortions are provided at these sites to maintain eligibility for federal funds.
- Definitions:
- Abortion Drug: Any drug or substance intended to end a known pregnancy, except in cases aimed at live birth, removing a deceased fetus, or treating an ectopic pregnancy (a condition where the pregnancy develops outside the uterus).
- Institution of Higher Education (IHE): Defined under existing federal law as colleges, universities, and similar postsecondary schools (per the Higher Education Act of 1965).
- School-Based Service Site: An on-campus clinic offering health services (like primary care, family planning, telehealth, or pharmacy services) to students at federally funded IHEs; excludes full hospitals.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new condition on federal funding for IHEs, tying eligibility to the absence of abortion-related services at campus clinics. Previously, federal laws like Title X (family planning funding) and the Higher Education Act did not explicitly prohibit such services as a funding barrier, though post-2022 Supreme Court decisions (overturning Roe v. Wade) have shifted abortion regulation to states. This creates a federal overlay restricting campus-based access.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services would handle annual certifications and enforce funding denials, potentially increasing administrative workload for compliance monitoring and audits of IHEs.
- On Citizens: College students and employees may face reduced on-campus access to abortion drugs or procedures, requiring off-campus options that could involve travel, cost, or delays; this might disproportionately affect lower-income or rural students reliant on campus health services.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic higher education funding.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Institutions of Higher Education: Public and private colleges receiving federal aid (e.g., grants, loans, research funds) must comply or risk losing billions in support, affecting operations like student aid and facilities.
- Students and Employees: Primarily undergraduate and graduate students, plus campus health workers, who may lose convenient access to reproductive health services.
- Federal Government Officials: Secretaries of Education and Health and Human Services, responsible for reviewing reports and withholding funds.
- Health Service Providers: On-campus clinics and contractors offering family planning, who may need to alter or eliminate services to avoid affiliation issues.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: The funding condition could lead to lawsuits over enforcement, such as challenges to the broad definition of "affiliation" (e.g., if a clinic partners with external providers) or violations of federal anti-discrimination laws in education (Title IX).
- Constitutional Implications: May raise First Amendment concerns if seen as restricting free speech or association on campuses; also intersects with privacy rights under the Fourteenth Amendment, though post-Dobbs (2022 Supreme Court case ending federal abortion protections), states handle most regulations—this bill imposes a uniform federal funding penalty.
- Political Implications: Aligns with anti-abortion priorities, potentially deepening partisan divides in education policy; could influence campus culture and enrollment by signaling federal stances on reproductive rights, without altering state-level abortion laws.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (29)
Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4], Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11], Rep. Davidson, Warren [R-OH-8], Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6], Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12], Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3], Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9], Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-2], Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3], Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4], Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5], Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12], Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3], Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15], Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5], Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6], Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1], Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8], Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3], Rep. Crane, Elijah [R-AZ-2], Rep. Bentz, Cliff [R-OR-2], Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9]
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-22: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-01-22: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-22: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-22 — PDF (3 pages)