Lankford Leads Brief Supporting Religious Liberty in School Choice Case

Sens. Cruz, Lankford File Amicus Brief Defending Religious Liberty in Supreme Court School Choice Case

U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, and James Lankford (R-Okla.) were joined by six Senators and 35 Representatives in filing an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to protect the constitutional rights of faith-based schools participating in school choice programs. The brief warns that allowing the Tenth Circuit’s decision to stand could u…

Lankford Leads Brief Supporting Religious Liberty in School Choice Case

U.S. Senator James Lankford is leading a congressional amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the rights of faith-based schools participating in school choice programs. Lankford and House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg led 43 members of Congress in filing the brief in a case involving Colorado’s universal preschool program. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case during its October 2026 term. The case stems from a decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed Colorado to exclude Catholic preschools from its universal preschool program because the schools require families to support Catholic teachings on sex and gender. Lankford said the case is about protecting religious liberty and ensuring families have the freedom to choose schools that reflect their beliefs. According to the brief, allowing the appeals court decision to stand could also affect the federal tax credit scholarship program created by Congress through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act of 2025 by allowing states to exclude faith-based schools from participating.

Bartlesville Radio » News » Lankford Backs Religious Schools in Supreme Court Fight

Senator James Lankford is joining dozens of Republican lawmakers in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to side with faith-based schools in a high-profile school choice case set for the Court's October 2026 term. Lankford and Tim Walberg led an amicus brief arguing that Colorado unfairly excluded Catholic preschools from the state's universal preschool program because of their religious beliefs. Critics of the policy say that's less "equal opportunity…