S.Amdt. 6443

The proposed amendment, titled the Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026, aims to add a new subtitle to the bill that establishes updated duties, responsibilities, and legal protections for chaplains across the Army, Navy, and Air Force (including the Space Force).

The amendment intends to change and add the following to the bill:

• Organizational Structure: It defines the roles of the Chief of Chaplains and Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, designating them as principal advisors to senior leadership. It also establishes specific military grades for these positions.

• Duties and Responsibilities: It outlines the primary roles of the chaplaincy, which include providing spiritual care, advising commanders on religious practices and spiritual readiness, and facilitating the free exercise of religion for service members and their dependents.

• Protections for Chaplains: It mandates that chaplains perform their duties in a manner consistent with their sincerely held religious beliefs and the tenets of their endorsing organization. It specifically prohibits:

  • Censorship or undue restriction of public worship, counseling, and sermons.
  • Requiring chaplains to perform rites or tasks contrary to their religious beliefs.
  • Retaliation or adverse personnel actions (such as denial of promotion or letters of reprimand) for refusing to perform acts that violate their beliefs.

• Accountability and Enforcement: It specifies that any member of the Armed Forces who violates these protections shall be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

• Definitions: It provides clear legal definitions for terms such as adverse personnel action, censorship, religious-endorsing organization, and chaplain.