H.R. 7691

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7691 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7691

To authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants to local 
educational agencies to cover the costs of challenges to determinations 
not to discontinue the use of specific instructional materials, or the 
availability of specific school library materials, in public elementary 
and secondary schools, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 25, 2026

Mr. Frost (for himself, Mr. Raskin, and Ms. Wilson of Florida) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants to local 
educational agencies to cover the costs of challenges to determinations 
not to discontinue the use of specific instructional materials, or the 
availability of specific school library materials, in public elementary 
and secondary schools, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Fight Book Bans Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO REIMBURSE CERTAIN COSTS OF CHALLENGES TO CONTINUED 
USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL AND LIBRARY MATERIALS.

(a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) Applicable program.--The term ``applicable program'' 
means any program for which the Secretary of Education has 
administrative responsibility as provided by law or by 
delegation of authority pursuant to law.
(2) Covered local educational agency.--The term ``covered 
local educational agency'' means a local educational agency 
that has the duty and responsibility under law--
(A) to select and provide instructional materials 
and school library materials for students attending 
public elementary schools or public secondary schools 
under the jurisdiction of the agency;
(B) to provide, or participate in, a process--
(i) to provide for resolution of an 
objection by a parent or other person to--
(I) the use of a specific 
instructional material; or
(II) the availability of a specific 
school library material; and
(ii) to discontinue the use of the 
instructional material, or the availability of 
the school library material, for any grade 
level or age group if the local educational 
agency determines that the material is 
inappropriate or unsuitable; and
(C) to provide, or participate in, a process 
(including any administrative proceeding or court case) 
under which a parent or other person who disagrees with 
a determination made by the covered local educational 
agency pursuant to subparagraph (B)(ii) to discontinue 
or not to discontinue the use of an instructional 
material, or the availability of a school library 
material, may appeal, or otherwise request 
reconsideration of, the determination.
(3) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', 
``parent'', ``secondary school'', and ``Secretary'' have the 
meaning given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(4) Instructional material.--The term ``instructional 
material'' means instructional content that is provided to a 
student, regardless of its format, including printed or 
representational materials, audio-visual materials, and 
materials in electronic or digital formats (such as materials 
accessible through the internet). The term does not include 
academic tests or academic assessments.
(5) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
agency'' means a public elementary school, public secondary 
school, school district, or local board of education that is 
the recipient of funds under an applicable program.
(6) School library material.--The term ``school library 
material'' means any material available to a student via the 
student's school library, regardless of its format, including 
printed or representational materials, audio-visual materials, 
and materials in electronic or digital formats (such as 
materials accessible through the internet).
(7) Student.--The term ``student'' means any public 
elementary school or public secondary school student.
(b) Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Education is authorized 
to make grants to covered local educational agencies to 
reimburse such agencies for the costs (including costs such as 
attorneys' fees and court costs) incurred in connection with a 
process described in subsection (a)(2)(C), if--
(A) such costs are not reimbursed by the State or 
any other person; and
(B) such process was initiated due to a 
determination by the covered local educational agency 
not to discontinue the use of an instructional material 
or the availability of a school library material.
(2) Application.--A covered local educational agency 
desiring to receive an award under paragraph (1) shall submit 
an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner 
as the Secretary shall require.
(3) Maximum amount.--The maximum amount that a covered 
local educational agency is eligible to receive under this 
subsection is $100,000 for each determination described in 
paragraph (1)(B).
(4) Award process.--In awarding grants under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that the award process 
is based on content-neutral and viewpoint-neutral criteria and 
does not take into account the content of the instructional 
material or school library material concerned.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated a total of $15,000,000 for 
fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
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