A bill to promote recruiter access to secondary schools.
Sens. Cornyn and Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Military Recruiting in High Schools
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Senators Cornyn and Kelly, requires high schools to give military recruiters the same level of access to students aged 17 and older as they give to colleges or other businesses.
- High schools would be required to hold at least four in-person military recruiting events each year if a recruiter asks for them. These events must be spread out across different parts of the school year.
- Schools would have to provide the military with lists of student names, grades, home addresses, phone numbers, and school email addresses. This information must be shared within 60 days of the start of the school year or within 30 days of a request.
- The proposal would bypass some existing privacy rules to ensure recruiters can contact students directly. This is intended to help the military meet its goals for finding new members by making it easier to reach potential recruits.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
High school students aged 17 and older would face significantly more military recruiting at their schools. Schools would be required to host at least four in-person recruiting events per year and share students' personal information — including names, grades, addresses, emails, and phone numbers — with military recruiters. Some students may welcome the career opportunity, but others may feel their privacy is reduced since the bill overrides certain protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articles
Cornyn-Kelly bill expanding recruiter access signed into law as part of defense act
U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Mark Kelly announced their bill to increase military recruiter access to secondary schools was signed into law as part of the NDAA for FY2026. The law ensures recruiters have the same access to high schools as colleges and employers to address recruitment shortfalls.
Ernst Secures NDAA Provisions to Build on Surge in Military Recruitment
The article details provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 aimed at sustaining military recruitment gains. Key measures include expanding recruiter access to high schools and increasing opportunities for students to join JROTC programs.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
A bill to promote recruiter access to secondary schools.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.