August 29, 2025
Mr. Steube (for himself, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Massie, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Ms. Boebert, Ms. Mace, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Grothman, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Harrigan, Mr. Ogles, and Mr. Downing) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
To prohibit the award of Federal education funds to educational institutions and agencies that do not allow for religious exemptions to vaccination requirements, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Guaranteeing Religious Accommodation in Childhood Education Act
or the GRACE Act
.
Sec. 2. Prohibition on award of Federal education funds to certain educational institutions and agencies
(a) In general
No Federal education funds may be made available to an educational institution or agency that has a vaccination requirement, unless such institution or agency maintains a policy under which—
(1)
an individual may be exempted from such requirement if such individual (or their parent or guardian, in the case of an individual who is a child) asserts that receiving the vaccination would violate a sincerely held religious belief; and
(2)
no documentation or other information is required to be submitted by the individual (or their parent or guardian) to support the validity of such assertion.
(b) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Child
The term child
means an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years.
(2) Educational institution or agency
The term educational institution or agency means an elementary school, secondary school, local educational agency, or State educational agency (as those terms are defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)).
(3) Vaccination requirement
The term vaccination requirement means any requirement by an educational institution or agency that, as a condition for enrollment, attendance, participation in athletics or other student activities, or employment at the institution or agency, requires an individual to have received one or more vaccinations.