Education, health plans and worker protections

Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025

• Bar political tests in accreditation: Accrediting agencies could not require, encourage, or pressure colleges to support or oppose political, ideological, social, or cultural viewpoints, or assess a college or program's commitment to an ideology or viewpoint. They also could not promote disparate treatment based on a federally protected class unless federal law or a court order requires it
• Protect religious institutions and constitutional rights: Accreditation standards could not bar a religious college from having a religious mission or requiring faith statements or conduct consistent with that mission. They also could not bar institutions from requiring an oath to uphold the Constitution, or require colleges to violate a constitutional right; religious accreditors could continue enforcing religious standards
• Limit federal accreditation criteria: The Education Department could not set accrediting criteria beyond those required by the Higher Education Act. A college meeting its accreditor's standards for assessing it under that Act would meet the accreditation requirement for federal institutional certification, even if its accreditor had other standards unrelated to participation in the Act's programs

1. Introduced
2. In committee
3. Reported▲ THIS MARKUP
4. Passed House
5. Passed Senate
6. Law

What’s next: a floor vote. None is scheduled.