Sponsor
Eric Stephen Schmitt
Senator · R-MO
Senator · R-MO
The bill trades increased campus security and direct employment for veterans (and some federal spending reduction) against weakened federal civil-rights/equity support for K–12, potential shifts of costs to localities, and reduced hiring flexibility for schools.
Veterans: Gain targeted employment opportunities and reintegration support through funded campus security hires at colleges and universities.
Students and colleges: Federal grants to hire security staff can increase on-campus security presence and reduce immediate hiring budget pressure on institutions.
Taxpayers: Federal outlays are reduced by eliminating funding for Equity Assistance Centers, lowering that specific federal expenditure.
K–12 schools, students (especially marginalized groups), and educators: Eliminating federally funded Equity Assistance Centers reduces neutral technical assistance and federal support for addressing discrimination and equity, weakening civil-rights oversight and guidance.
Students and schools: Redirecting federal education funds toward campus security risks diverting resources from academics and other student services.
Local education agencies, states, and taxpayers: Eliminating Equity Assistance Centers may shift costs to state and local budgets if they must replace services formerly provided by the federal centers.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a grant program to help colleges hire veterans as campus security and immediately bans federal funding for Equity Assistance Centers or similar centers.
Introduced January 8, 2026 by Eric Stephen Schmitt · Last progress January 8, 2026
Creates a competitive grant program at the Department of Education that lets colleges and universities apply for money to hire military veterans as campus security staff. Separately, it bars the use of any federal funds to support Equity Assistance Centers or similar centers, with that funding prohibition effective as soon as the law takes effect. The grant program is limited to hiring veterans as campus security personnel and requires institutions to apply under rules set by the Secretary of Education; the law does not appropriate money for the program. The funding ban applies nationwide and immediately to any federal funds for Equity Assistance Centers or similar entities.