08/09/2026
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In the wake of a series of cases of military chaplains being relieved of their duties simply for expressing sincerely held religious beliefs, Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced legislation Thursday that would codify the purpose and duties of chaplains and protect their First Amendment rights to religious freedom.
The bill, dubbed the Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026, would put in place a series of reforms to federal law surrounding the duties and religious freedom rights of chaplains. As Lankford’s office summarized, the measure would make permanent “the purpose, role, duties, and professional qualifications of chaplains” across all military branches. In addition, it would guarantee “that chaplains may conduct worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver sermons, minister, and offer prayer in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs and the tenets of their religious-endorsing organization, free from censorship, undue restriction, or fear of retribution.”
The legislation would further prohibit “any member of the Armed Forces from requiring or assigning a chaplain to perform any rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, speech, task, or action contrary to the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs” and would protect chaplains “from retaliation or adverse personnel actions, including denial of promotion, letters of reprimand, and negative entries in the chaplain’s record, for refusing to violate their beliefs.”
The bill follows several incidents over the last decade of chaplains being forced out of their duties and facing disciplinary measures for expressing biblical beliefs. In 2015, Navy Chaplain Wes Modder was relieved of his duties after a handful of sailors complained about how he answered their questions regarding marriage and sexuality according to the biblical tenets of his faith during private counseling sessions. Modder was subsequently removed from his unit and isolated at the base chapel as the Navy threatened to terminate him for cause and force him out, which would have resulted in the loss of his military pension and benefits. The Navy eventually dropped the charges against Modder after a successful challenge from First Liberty Institute.
Three years later in 2018, Army Chaplain Scott Squires faced a military investigation after he informed a soldier that he could not conduct a marriage retreat that included same-sex couples because of his biblical beliefs on sexuality. An Army investigator eventually determined that Squires had engaged in discriminatory conduct and recommended a reprimand, but the Army exonerated the chaplain after the charges were challenged by First Liberty.
Another case occurred in 2021 when Army Chaplain Andrew Calvert was accused of committing unlawful discrimination over views that he posted to his personal page, which expressed opposition to individuals who identify as transgender being allowed to serve in the military due to his sincerely held religious beliefs. The Army investigator recommended that Calvert receive a formal reprimand, which could have resulted in promotion restriction, the lowering of retirement benefits, and other consequences. The Army eventually agreed not to issue the reprimand after the charges were challenged by First Liberty.
A number of Republican senators expressed support for the measure, citing the need to protect the First Amendment freedoms of military chaplains.
“Military chaplains shouldn’t have to check their faith at the door when they put on the uniform,” Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a cosponsor of the legislation, remarked. “They play a vital role in supporting the moral and spiritual well-being of our servicemembers, and their ministry and the men and women they serve are strengthened because of their faith. This legislation protects their ability to minister according to their beliefs and ensures those freedoms are always preserved.”
“Military chaplains provide a vital service to the patriots who sacrifice for our country every day,” Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), another cosponsor, added. “By standardizing a chaplain’s role, this commonsense legislation clarifies their duties and protects chaplains from unfair censorship. Like all Americans, our men and women in uniform have the God-given right to observe their religious beliefs, especially as they put their own lives on the line to defend our nation. Our legislation reinforces those rights.”
Other cosponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Senator Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.). The bill, which received the endorsement of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, was included in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027.
Senator Lankford told The Washington Stand that the central importance of military chaplains is rooted in their centuries-long record of service, underscoring the need for strong federal protections.
“For our country’s 250-year history, military chaplains have walked alongside our service members through the hardest moments of their lives, offering prayer, counsel, and hope in isolated posts and combat zones alike,” he emphasized. “Chaplains serve because they are called to it. Congress has a responsibility to make sure they can carry out that calling faithfully, without being forced to violate the tenets of their faith and without fear of retaliation for holding to what they believe. This bill honors the men and women who minister to our heroes who defend our nation.”
𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 𝐷𝑎𝑛 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑡. 𝑃𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑.
