H.R. 7661House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Stop the Sexualization of Children Act

Introduced February 24, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated July 3, 2026 at 3:40 AM UTC

The Stop the Sexualization of Children Act would change the Elementary and Secondary Education Act so that federal education money cannot be used for any program or material for students under 18 that is considered sexually oriented, including content related to gender dysphoria or transgenderism. The bill carves out exceptions for regular science teaching, religious texts, recognized classic literature and art, and anti‑human‑trafficking education. It also sets specific reference lists to define what counts as classic literature and art.

Key Provisions

  • Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to bar any use of federal education funds for programs, activities, or materials aimed at children under 18 that contain "sexually oriented material."
  • Defines "sexually oriented material" as anything that depicts or describes explicit sexual conduct, or that involves gender dysphoria or transgenderism.
  • Specifies that the prohibition does not apply to standard science courses (e.g., biology, anatomy), texts of major world religions, classic works of literature, classic works of art, or programs that teach students how to recognize and respond to sexual trafficking and grooming.
  • Provides detailed definitions for "classic works of literature" and "classic works of art" by referencing particular published lists and guides.

Legislative Activity

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5 earlier actions
HouseCalendars Latest Action

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 632.

July 2, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 24, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

February 24, 2026

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

March 17, 2026

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 13.

March 17, 2026

HouseCommittee

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-727.

July 2, 2026

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 632.

July 2, 2026

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 7661 on the floor

1 Republican
Tim Walberg
Rep. Tim WalbergR-MI-5 · Aug 31, 2026

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following cost estimate for H.R. 7661, Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, which was not made available to…

Bill Text

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Reported in HouseIssued July 2, 2026

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Union Calendar No. 632

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7661

[Report No. 119–727]

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 24, 2026

Mrs. Miller of Illinois (for herself, Mr. Downing, Mr. Fine, Mr. Steube, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Ogles, Ms. Hageman, Mr. Stutzman, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mrs. Biggs of South Carolina, Ms. Letlow, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Roy, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Rose, Mr. Owens, and Mr. Self) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

July 2, 2026

Additional sponsors: Mr. McGuire, Mr. Bost, Mr. Norman, Mr. Webster of Florida, and Mr. Taylor

July 2, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 24, 2026


A BILL

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the use of funds provided under such Act to develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote any program or activity for, or to provide or promote literature or other materials to, children under the age of 18 that includes sexually oriented material, and for other purposes.


1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act.

2.

Prohibition on funding for sexually oriented material

Section 8526 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7906) is amended—

(1)

by striking No funds under this Act may be used— and inserting the following:

(a)

General prohibitions

No funds under this Act may be used—

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(b)

Prohibition on funding for sexually oriented material

(1)

In general

No funds under this Act may be used to develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote any program or activity for, or to provide or promote literature or other materials to, children under the age of 18 that includes sexually oriented material, including any program, activity, literature, or material that exposes such children to nude adults, individuals who are stripping, or lewd or lascivious dancing.

(2)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the use of funds under this Act for, or otherwise limit or interfere with, teaching—

(A)

standard science coursework, including biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, cytology, genetics, ecology, human health, or human anatomy and physiology;

(B)

the texts of major world religions;

(C)

classic works of literature;

(D)

classic works of art; or

(E)

security measures designed to help students recognize and safely respond to methods and attempts to sexually traffic children or to groom children for sexual trafficking, including the use of real world examples based in criminal law, including the fact patterns associated with the criminal cases brought against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

(3)

Definitions

In this subsection:

(A)

Classic works of art

The term classic works of art means the works of art depicted, referenced, or otherwise represented in Smarthistory guide to AP Art History, volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (2019–2020), published by Smarthistory.

(B)

Classic works of literature

The term classic works of literature means the works of literature (including translations of such works)—

(i)

included in the Great Books of the Western World (second edition, 1990), published by Encyclopaedia Britannica;

(ii)

referenced in the article Classics Every Middle Schooler Should Read by Thomas Purifoy, Jr. and published by Compass Classroom (as such article appeared on the date of enactment of this subsection); and

(iii)

referenced in the article Classics Every High Schooler Should Read by Mary Pierson Purifoy and published by Compass Classroom (as such article appeared on the date of enactment of this subsection).

(C)

Sexually oriented material

The term sexually oriented material means material that—

(i)

includes any depiction, description, or simulation of sexually explicit conduct (as defined in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 2256(2) of title 18, United States Code); or

(ii)

involves gender dysphoria or transgenderism.

.

July 2, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed