# 119-hr-8769: Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026

119-hr-8769, Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3] (R-TX); status introduced (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8769
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8769
- Congress: 119
- Title: Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-05-12
- Sponsor: Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3] (R-TX)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## 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. - 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.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10] (R-NC), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Military penalties for mistreating chaplains: benefit, low. 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 Man…
- New Air and Space chaplain leaders: benefit, low. 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 ge…
- New Army chaplain leadership roles: benefit, low. 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…
- Who counts as a military chaplain: benefit, low. 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…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-3132: CHOICE for Veterans Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025
- 119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act
- 119-hr-2395: SHORT Act
- 119-hr-5106: Restore Trust in Congress Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-8769 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8769)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-3132: CHOICE for Veterans Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3132)
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-137)
- [119-hr-2395: SHORT Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2395)
- [119-hr-5106: Restore Trust in Congress Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5106)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8769 (as of 2026-09-21).