Voluntary School Prayer Protection Act of 2023

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 201 To prohibit the provision of Federal funds to any State or local educational agency that denies or prevents participation in constitutionally protected prayer in schools, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 9, 2023 Mr. ROUZER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To prohibit the provision of Federal funds to any State or local educational agency that denies or prevents par- ticipation in constitutionally protected prayer in schools, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Voluntary School Pray- 4 er Protection Act of 2023’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Feb 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H201.IH H201 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 201 IH SEC. 2. FUNDING CONTINGENT ON RESPECT FOR CON- 1 STITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SCHOOL PRAY- 2 ER. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi- 4 sion of law, no funds made available through the Depart- 5 ment of Education shall be provided to any State or local 6 educational agency that has a policy of denying, or that 7 effectively prevents participation in, constitutionally pro- 8 tected prayer in public schools by individuals on a vol- 9 untary basis. 10 (b) LIMITATION.—No person shall be required to par- 11 ticipate in prayer or influence the form or content of any 12 constitutionally protected prayer in public schools. 13 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:40 Feb 18, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H201.IH H201 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB