Syracuse Sun

WASHINGTON — Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) and Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (NC-5) have introduced H.R. 7683, the Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act to safeguard free speech protections at colleges and universities.

In a joint statement, Williams and Foxx expressed their concerns about the current state of postsecondary education, stating, “The state of postsecondary education is in complete disarray. We’ve seen countless examples of institutions leveraging taxpayers’ dollars to fan the flames of illiberalism, intolerance, and radical ideology amongst students and faculty. Americans’ confidence in postsecondary education is at an all-time low, and rightly so. While there are several factors contributing to this national sentiment, one of the most important is institutions’ inconsistency in protecting the First Amendment rights of students and faculty.”

The proposed legislation aims to make free speech protections on campus a requirement for colleges and universities receiving Title IV funds under the Higher Education Act. Additionally, it mandates that institutions must publicly disclose all First Amendment policies they hold on an annual basis.

According to the representatives, “The Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act addresses this problem by holding institutions accountable, enacting additional enforcement mechanisms, and requiring that campus policies are concrete and transparent. The First Amendment is non-negotiable. Every student, faculty member, and invited guest has the right to speak freely in a civil campus environment without fear of reprisal.”

The full text of the bill can be accessed here, while a fact sheet is available here.

For press inquiries, contact Jacob Zanca at (202) 913-1235. Follow Rep. Brandon Williams on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.