Raskin, Houlahan Push to Restore Banned Books to Defense Department Schools, Protect Students from Political Interference

Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) introduced legislation to fight back against MAGA book bans. The Stop Censoring Military Families Act would restore all books removed from Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools by the Trump Administration and protect school curricula from political changes. The changes are designed to keep political appointees from making decisions about what books students of servicemembers and DOD civilians can read. This follows the Representatives' demand that DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth reverse course on the book bans.

The new legislation instructs DODEA-the federal school system responsible for educating the children of members of the military and DOD civilian employees in America and around the world-to put banned books back on shelves and refrain from taking further action to limit curricula, library content and personnel at DODEA schools. DODEA operates 161 accredited schools and serves more than 67,000 children of active-duty military and DOD civilian families from pre-kindergarten until 12th grade.

"Students attending DODEA schools want to go to class and learn, not be used as political pawns of the Trump Administration's censorship regime," said Rep. Raskin. "I am glad to partner with Rep. Houlahan to reverse MAGA book bans, defend teachers and librarians and protect the fundamental American freedom to read."

"For too long, the Trump administration has made military families ground zero for their culture wars. It is disturbing that the President and Secretary Hegseth have decided to deprive DoDEA students of books and curricula because they don't meet the Administration's partisan, inaccurate version of American society and history," said Congresswoman Houlahan. "My legislation with Ranking Member Raskin is simple: stop the book bans at military schools, and put the libraries and lesson plans back where they belong-in the hands of teachers and families. It is long past time that the oversight of these schools return to the depoliticized process it was always meant to be."

"Every student, regardless of their race or place, deserves the freedom to read, to imagine, and to grow without fear of erasure and censorship. Removing books by authors of color or LGBTQ+ voices from K-12 libraries is about erasing perspectives and silencing identities," said NEA President Becky Pringle."Banning books narrows students' understanding of the world, deepens divisions, and undermines the very foundation of public education. The legislation introduced by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) will restore access to books at military schools and allow students the freedom to read and the opportunity to see themselves reflected in literature. More importantly, lifting the ban on books at military schools will allow students to learn from perspectives different from their own and prepare them for a diverse and democratic society."

The 596 books targeted by DODEA for removal include the AP Psychology textbook and You Call This Democracy?, a book about how young people can participate in political change.

Rep. Raskin remains an outspoken advocate against book banning, introducing a resolution annually marking Banned Books Week, a national celebration of reading and the First Amendment. As the Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform's Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Rep. Raskin convened two hearings examining the escalating crisis of book bans and attacks on freedom of expression in the United States.

The legislation also calls for a Government Accountability Office study on the feasibility of creating an independent body to make curricula determinations at DODEA schools and bars DOD from implementing corrosive executive orders from the Trump Administration to remove books from schools.

The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.-At Large), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry "Hank" Johnson (GA-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07).

The following organizations endorse the Stop Censoring Military Families Act: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), EveryLibrary, National Education Association (NEA), PEN America.

Read the full bill text here.

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Permalink: https://raskin.house.gov/2025/9/raskin-houlahan-push-to-restore-banned-books-to-defense-department-schools-protect-students-from-political-interference