Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., is pushing legislation aimed at protecting military chaplains from being disciplined for acting according to their religious convictions.
The bill, called the Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026, was introduced Aug. 5 and would codify the purpose, duties and professional qualifications of chaplains across the military, according to a summary from Lankford’s office cited by The Washington Stand.
The measure would also state that chaplains may conduct worship, provide counseling, teach, preach, minister and pray in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs and the teachings of their endorsing religious organization, free from censorship, undue restriction or fear of retaliation.
What the bill would prohibit
According to the bill summary, the legislation would bar any member of the armed forces from requiring or assigning a chaplain to perform a rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, speech, task or other action that conflicts with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious beliefs.
It would also protect chaplains from adverse personnel actions for refusing to violate those beliefs, including denial of promotion, letters of reprimand and negative entries in their records.
Past discipline cases cited by supporters
The proposal follows several cases over the last decade in which chaplains faced discipline after expressing biblical views, according to The Washington Stand.
In 2015, Navy Chaplain Wes Modder was relieved of duties after sailors complained about answers he gave during private counseling sessions involving marriage and sexuality. The Navy later dropped the charges after a challenge from First Liberty.
In 2018, Army Chaplain Scott Squires faced an investigation after telling a soldier he could not conduct a marriage retreat that included same-sex couples because of his biblical beliefs on sexuality. An Army investigator found discriminatory conduct and recommended a reprimand, but the Army later exonerated Squires after First Liberty challenged the charges.
In 2021, Army Chaplain Andrew Calvert was accused of unlawful discrimination over views he posted on his personal Facebook page opposing military service by people who identify as transgender. An investigator recommended a formal reprimand, but the Army later agreed not to issue it after First Liberty challenged the matter.
Republican senators back the measure
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., a cosponsor, said chaplains should not have to “check their faith at the door when they put on the uniform.”
“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,” Cramer said, according to the source material. “This legislation protects their ability to minister according to their beliefs and ensures those freedoms are always preserved.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also a cosponsor, said the legislation would clarify chaplains’ duties and protect them 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,” Grassley said. “Our legislation reinforces those rights.”
Other cosponsors include Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Katie Britt, R-Ala.
Lankford frames chaplains as a 250-year military tradition
The Washington Stand reported that the bill has been endorsed by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board and was included in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2027.
Lankford told The Washington Stand that military chaplains have served alongside troops throughout the country’s history.
“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,” Lankford said. “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.”
He added: “This bill honors the men and women who minister to our heroes who defend our nation.”
