Bill · S. 1530· Senate(119-S-1530)
SERVE Act
- Introduced
- 4/30/2025
- Last activity
- 4/30/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Sponsored by
- Joni Ernst
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "SERVE Act" aims to increase military recruitment by giving recruiters more access to students and their information. It requires high schools to provide military recruiters with more frequent access to campuses and student data, including academic grades. The bill also creates "cross-town" JROTC options for students whose schools lack a unit and establishes a pilot program to designate "HERO schools" based on high enlistment rates. Additionally, graduates from these high-enlistment schools would receive priority consideration for admission to military service academies. Finally, it designates the first week of April as the National Week of Military Recruitment.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?+4
Increases opportunities for military careers, leadership training, and academy admissions.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+3
Promotes paths to education and employment via military service.
Does this make college cost less?+3
Provides priority access to military academies and highlights education benefits of service.
The opposite
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?-8
Mandates sharing of student PII and grades, reducing student privacy.
Does this give people more control over their personal data?-7
Significantly expands the sharing of sensitive student data and academic grades with military recruiters.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased JROTC Access: Students at schools without their own JROTC unit can now enroll in "cross-town" units at other schools in their district, improving access to leadership training and character development (Section 4).
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Priority Academy Admissions: Students graduating from high schools with above-average military enlistment rates may receive priority consideration for admission to military service academies (Section 6).
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Awareness of Benefits: The bill seeks to better inform prospective applicants about service options and benefits, such as competitive pay, education, and valuable experience (Bill Purpose/Section 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Reduced Student Privacy: The bill expands the types of student data shared with recruiters to include academic grades (Section 3(a)(1)(B) and 3(a)(2)(B)(i)).
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Increased Recruitment Pressure: Military recruiters would gain "meaningful access" to schools, including visits at least four times per year in high-traffic areas during peak hours, lunch, and between classes (Section 3(a)(1)(A)).
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Expanded Data Sharing from Selective Service: The Selective Service System would now furnish the Secretary of Defense, the military services, or the Secretary of Homeland Security with annual lists that include names, dates of birth, phone numbers, and email addresses (Section 3(b)).
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Disclosure of Personal Status: For students 17 or older who do not return to an institution, recruiters can now access the reason for their failure to return, if the school collected that information (Section 3(a)(2)(C)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Young Adults+4Good For Low Income Households+3Good For Students+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+2Improves Privacy Rights-8
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+2
- Education And Technology
- Improves College Affordability+3Improves School Choice+2Improves Data Privacy-7
- 4/30/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.