Senate urged to protect military chaplains from punishment over their beliefs 

A religious freedom group wants the U.S. Senate to protect military chaplains from punishment for following their faith.

The Religious Freedom Institute called on senators to pass the Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 before the midterm elections.

“America’s military chaplains fulfill many vital roles – first-line diplomat, educator, advisor and minister – and the law must reflect this broad scope,” Religious Freedom Institute President David Trimble said in a release. “The Military Chaplains Modernization Act would codify in statute the range of critical duties chaplains already perform and would further secure their religious freedom.”

The bill would protect chaplains who preach, pray or give religious advice based on their beliefs and the teachings of their religious groups.

Military officials couldn’t tell a chaplain to perform a ceremony, give a speech or do something else that violates his faith. They also couldn’t punish him for refusing. This includes denying promotions, training or assignments or giving negative reviews and reprimands.

“Military chaplains shouldn’t have to check their faith at the door when they put on the uniform,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, said in a statement.

The Uniform Code of Military Justice would back the protections. Yet chaplains still would have to help troops obtain religious services they cannot personally provide.

For example, a Christian chaplain wouldn’t have to lead a Jewish, Muslim or Hindu service, but he would have to help find someone who could.

The measure also would put other parts of a chaplain’s job into federal law.

Chaplains would provide counseling, prayer and spiritual care and advise commanders on religious accommodations, morals, ethics and troop morale.

The legislation also would protect confidential talks between chaplains and service members.

The Religious Freedom Institute says current federal law doesn’t reflect everything military chaplains already do. Existing law mostly focuses on religious services and funerals.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, introduced the Senate proposal last month.

Cramer and Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Katie Britt of Alabama are co-sponsors. They’re all Republicans.

The proposal has made progress in the House.

Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, offered the chaplain protections as an amendment to the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.

The House approved the amendment 221-210 in July. That language then became part of the defense bill that passed the House.

The Senate bill comes as the Trump administration makes changes to the military chaplain corps.

As Heartlander previously reported, War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the military to stop using the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide in December 2025.

Hegseth said the guide pushed chaplains away from faith and toward secular self-help. The 112-page guide mentioned God only once.

Additionally, he ordered the military to simplify a system that had grown to more than 200 codes for troops’ religious affiliations.

Those policies could change under a future president. The legislation would codify those protections into federal law.

The Senate referred the measure to the Armed Services Committee, where it remains.

“These clearly stated principles are commonsense applications of First Amendment freedoms to military chaplains and those they serve,” Trimble said. “The Senate should move swiftly before the midterm elections to ensure the MCMA becomes law.”