Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of the End Woke Higher Education Act, which upholds Americans' constitutional liberties and supports academic freedom on college campuses.

Sadly, over the years, we have seen our Nation's college campuses diverge from being places of thoughtful debate to a breeding ground for illiberal thought. Shoutdowns, disciplinary action, and political litmus tests have become pervasive on college campuses.

This trend threatens both our constitutionally guaranteed rights and the value of a college education. If we are to remain a tolerant society accepting of a diversity of ideas, then colleges need to be an open arena for thoughtful debate, discussion, and, of course, faith.

To protect individuals' faith on campus, H.R. 3724 also includes text from the Equal Campus Access Act, my bill to ensure commonsense protections for religious student organizations.

Over the years, we have seen a concerning increase of incidents on college campuses where religious student organizations have lost rights, benefits, and privileges due to faith-based practices.

Across the country, student groups are formed and meet to discuss political, social, or religious ideas and beliefs. These groups enrich the student experience and campus life. These groups must apply to the university for recognition, which allows them to use university space and receive student activity funding available to other recognized groups. However, religious groups have often been blocked from this recognition, putting their organization at risk.

The Equal Campus Access Act would clarify that no funds shall be made available to a public institution that denies a religious student group any rights similarly afforded to other organizations because of the religious group's beliefs, practices, or leadership standards.

Notably, in my State of Michigan, a religious student organization that had been a recognized student group at Wayne State University since 1956 was derecognized simply because it required its leaders to agree with its religious beliefs. The students had to sue their university in order to receive recognition, where a judge found the university had, in fact, violated the students' rights.

Students should not have to give up their First Amendment rights of speech, religion, and association to attend a public college.

I thank the chairwoman for including my bill in this package and Representatives Burgess Owens and Brandon Williams for their leadership.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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