Sponsors (2)
Creates deputy chaplain posts, makes chiefs principal advisers, codifies chaplain duties and RFRA/First Amendment protections, adds UCMJ penalties, and requires implementing regulations.
Official title: To amend title 10, United States Code, to define the purpose, role, duties, and professional qualification requirements for chaplains in the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 12, 2026 by Keith Self · Last progress May 12, 2026
The bill expands and codifies religious‑liberty protections and chaplain support to improve access and protections for chaplains and service members, but does so at the cost of greater legal complexity, potential operational and recruitment constraints, and added fiscal and administrative burdens.
Service members will have clearer and expanded access to religious support (including in isolated or combat environments) because deputy chaplains and chaplain duties are codified and commanders are required to provide facilities and transportation.
Chaplains gain explicit statutory protections to practice according to their sincerely held beliefs and to avoid retaliation, which reduces the risk of adverse personnel actions for religious workers in uniform.
The Chief of Chaplains and deputy chiefs are formalized as principal advisers and (for the Air Force) added to senior staff, improving coordination of religious-support policy and giving senior leaders clearer religious-advisory input for planning and policy.
Commanders may have reduced flexibility to assign duties and manage units because chaplains receive legal protections to decline tasks that conflict with their beliefs, potentially complicating mission staffing and access to certain rites.
The expanded statutory protections and RFRA-related clarifications increase litigation risk and administrative burden (including potential conflicts with nondiscrimination obligations), producing more legal disputes and personnel-management complexity.
Elevating leadership grades, requiring facilities and transportation, and expanding chaplain duties will raise personnel and logistical costs (and may be unfunded), shifting resources or increasing taxpayer expense.
Based on analysis of 9 sections of legislative text.
Makes permanent statutory changes to the armed forces chaplaincies: creates deputy chaplain positions across services, clarifies the Chief of Chaplains' advisory role, defines duties and protections for chaplains, and adds criminal penalties for violating chaplain protections. It directs the Department of Defense and the military departments to issue implementing regulations and updates related statutes to reflect the new structure and authorities. The measures emphasize First Amendment and Religious Freedom Restoration Act protections for chaplains, set minimum service and grade requirements for deputies, add definitions for key terms (endorser, confidential communications, censorship), and require the President and Secretary of Defense to revise the Manual for Courts‑Martial and issue regulatory guidance implementing the changes.