H.R. 5527 — Stop Censoring Military Families Act

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to restore access, as soon as practicable but not later than 30 days after enactment, to all curricula, books, and other learning materials available at Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools before January 20, 2025, and prohibits any further limitations on such access until after the start of the 2026–2027 academic year. The section also requires the Secretary to submit a report to the armed services and education committees of Congress within 180 days of enactment identifying any materials flagged for removal after January 20, 2025; detailing the processes and instructions used; and, for DoDEA schools, explaining compliance with parental rights requirements (i.e., access to curricula and materials) under 10 U.S.C. 2164a.

This section establishes limitations on the Secretary of Defense's authority to issue directives affecting the curriculum, program of instruction, administration, personnel, library resources, textbooks, other instructional materials, commemorative events, or cultural events at schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which provides elementary and secondary education for dependents of armed forces members and certain federal civilian employees on U.S. military installations (including territories, commonwealths, and possessions) where local educational agencies are inadequate. Specifically, for directives affecting two or more DoDEA schools, the section (1) prohibits issuance until one year after the initial notice and required processes (including, for curricula or instruction, initiation of the Curriculum Materials Review Committee (CMRC) process; for administration or personnel, CMRC or a review with written response; submission of findings to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees; and 90 days for congressional consideration), and (2) thereafter requires notice to school advisory committees and the Armed Services Committees with a 90-day waiting period. For directives on selection or removal of library resources, textbooks, or other instructional materials at an individual DoDEA school, the section requires notice to the school's advisory committee and a 30-day waiting period. The section further prohibits the Secretary from limiting a school's authority to hold principal-, faculty-, staff-, or advisory committee-approved commemorative or cultural events or from withholding funding or taking other action against a school solely for such events (with CMRC process defined per DoDEA Administrative Instruction 2992.01, dated February 12, 2010). The limitations take effect on the date of enactment and apply beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year.

This section nullifies seven specified executive orders with respect to the Department of Defense (DoD) and prohibits use of federal funds to implement or enforce them, or any substantially similar directives, within DoD. The orders are: (1) Executive Order 14190 (relating to ending radical indoctrination in K–12 schooling); (2) Executive Order 14280 (relating to reinstating commonsense school discipline policies); (3) Executive Order 14281 (relating to restoring equality of opportunity and meritocracy); (4) Executive Order 14185 (relating to restoring America’s fighting force); (5) Executive Order 14183 (relating to prioritizing military excellence and readiness); (6) Executive Order 14168 (relating to defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the Federal Government); and (7) Executive Order 14201 (relating to keeping men out of women’s sports).

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the feasibility and advisability of establishing an independent body to design and implement curricula for schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA)—addressing the body's establishment and structure, membership, independence from political influence and Executive Branch priorities, and other relevant factors—and to submit a report on the results to the armed services and education committees of Congress within 270 days of enactment.