Lankford Seeks Student Aid Protections for Religious Studies Programs

Lankford Seeks Student Aid Protections for Religious Studies Programs

U.S. Senator James Lankford is working with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on legislation to exempt certain religious studies programs from federal earnings requirements that could affect students’ access to financial aid. The Religious Education Fairness Act would protect programs classified as Theology and Religious Vocations or Philosophy and Religious Studies at eligible institutions. The proposal responds to the “Do No Harm” provision of the Working Families Tax Cut Act, which uses graduates’ earnings to determine whether academic programs remain eligible for federal Direct Loans. Lankford and Cruz argue that earnings alone do not reflect the value of preparing students for ministry and other service-oriented religious careers. “A student who feels called to pastor a church or serve as a missionary should not lose access to student aid because Washington measures the value of that calling by a paycheck,” Lankford said. The bill would also protect covered programs from a related eligibility requirement that could affect other federal aid, including Pell Grants and Federal Work-Study. The legislation would use an existing federal religious exemption framework to identify eligible institutions.