The following is a statement from the Association of American Universities regarding the Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act (H.R. 7683):
AAU opposes the Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act (H.R. 7683), which will be considered by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Thursday, March 21. The bill not only threatens universities’ autonomy and flexibility to fulfill their missions and serve students; it will actually have a negative – as opposed to the intended positive – impact on ensuring free speech on college campuses and campus safety. Given that H.R. 7683 was only introduced on Friday, March 15, there has been very little time for stakeholders to provide meaningful input to committee members on the bill and its consequences. We welcome the opportunity to work with both sides of the aisle to provide such input as the bill moves forward.
Founded in 1900, the Association of American Universities is composed of America’s leading research universities. AAU’s 71 research universities transform lives through education, research, and innovation.
Our member universities earn the majority of competitively awarded federal funding for research that improves public health, seeks to address national challenges, and contributes significantly to our economic strength, while educating and training tomorrow’s visionary leaders and innovators.
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