STATEMENT: PDE Action Supports Rep. Jeff Crank’s RELA Act of 2026

Parents Defending Education Action is pleased to support Rep. Jeff Crank’s Religious Education

Liberty Assurance (RELA) Act of 2026. The RELA Act of 2026 prohibits any government entity from asserting control over organizations that issue scholarships to private or religious educational institutions under the Trump administration’s groundbreaking Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit.

The Education Freedom Tax Credit is a new federal program that helps families afford the educational setting that works best for their children. It creates a permanent, dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for individuals who donate to nonprofit scholarship granting organizations serving K–12 students. Defending Education and Parents Defending Education Action have proudly supported the tax credit since its inception and believe it will improve the quality of American education for generations to come. 

The RELA Act of 2026 will prevent attempts to both undermine the exercise of citizens’ First Amendment rights and to disadvantage faith-based elementary and secondary schools that will benefit greatly from the Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit. Rep. Crank’s timely legislation insulates communities of faith from hostile government actors and ensures they will be able to freely participate in the Education Freedom Scholarship Tax Credit.

Terry Stoops

Director of Government Affairs

Parents Defending Education Action