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119-hr-8769119th Congress

Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

Introduced

Summary

Codifies stronger legal protections and senior advisory roles for military chaplains across all services. The bill would standardize deputy chief positions, define chaplain duties and confidentiality, and require military justice rules to enforce those protections.

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  • Chaplains: Would get explicit statutory protection for confidential, sacramental, and privileged communications and a guarantee they may carry out worship, counseling, and related duties consistent with their sincerely held beliefs without censorship or retaliation.
  • Leadership: Would make Chiefs of Chaplains principal advisers to service secretaries and chiefs and create or standardize Deputy Chief posts — including three for the Army — with minimum experience rules and set grades such as brigadier general and rear admiral (lower half).
  • Endorsers and enforcement: Would define "religious-endorsing organization," set transitional rules so pre-enactment administrative endorsers can continue if they meet requirements, and require the President to direct that violations of these protections be treated as offenses under 934 and to update the Manual for Courts‑Martial within one year.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Military penalties for mistreating chaplains

If enacted, the bill would require the President, within one year of enactment, to prescribe regulations making violations of the Act's protections for chaplains punishable under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The President would also be required to direct revisions to the Manual for Courts‑Martial so those offenses are included. The Secretary of Defense would be required to issue any regulations necessary to carry out the Act. Service members who violate the statutes could be subject to prosecution under the UCMJ once the regulations and revisions are issued.

New Air and Space chaplain leaders

If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary of the Air Force to detail one or more active-duty Chaplain Corps officers (colonel or above with at least 8 years of Chaplain Corps service) to serve as Deputy Chief(s) of Chaplains. While serving, a Deputy Chief would hold the grade of brigadier general and serve as Chaplain of the Space Force and principal adviser to the Chief of Space Operations. The Chief of Chaplains would be the principal adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff on religious support. Chaplains would be allowed to provide rites, counseling, crisis response, religious education, and confidential sacramental communications consistent with their sincerely held beliefs and applicable law.

New Army chaplain leadership roles

If enacted, the bill would create three Deputy Chief of Chaplains positions for the Army: for active duty, the Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard. Each deputy would hold the grade of brigadier general while serving and advise senior Army leaders on chaplaincy and religious support. The bill would also require chaplains to be allowed to conduct worship, counseling, teaching, and other ministerial acts consistent with their endorsing organization and sincerely held beliefs, protect confidential and sacramental communications, and bar retaliation or adverse personnel actions for exercising those protections. Commanding officers would be required to provide facilities and necessary transportation to help chaplains carry out their duties.

Who counts as a military chaplain

If enacted, the bill would add a statutory definition of "chaplain" that requires both the religious-endorsing organization's professional qualifications and the Department of Defense's educational and service requirements. The bill would also define an "administrative endorser" and set alternative organizational pathways for endorsers. An administrative endorser that endorsed chaplains before enactment could continue only if it meets DoD and service requirements and provides required documentation verifying the organizations it represents meet the specified standards.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

TX • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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