# 119-s-5255: Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026

119-s-5255, Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] (R-OK); status introduced (as of 2026-09-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5255
- As of: 2026-09-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5255
- Congress: 119
- Title: Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-08-05
- Sponsor: Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] (R-OK)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-16

## Summary

**Strengthens statutory protections for military chaplains and their exercise of religion.** This bill would codify and expand chaplain duties, leadership roles, and legal safeguards across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force. - Chaplains: The bill would list chaplain duties such as leading rites, providing counseling and crisis response, training, and advising commanders on religious accommodations and spiritual readiness. It would protect chaplains to act according to their sincerely held beliefs and their endorsing organizations and preserve confidential sacramental communications. - Leadership and structure: It would create three Deputy Chief of Chaplains positions in the Army that carry the rank of brigadier general and make service Chiefs the principal advisers to senior leaders on chaplaincy and religious support. Parallel leadership and advisory roles would be established for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. - Protections, command support, and enforcement: Commanders would be required to provide facilities and transportation to support chaplains, and the bill would forbid adverse personnel actions against chaplains who refuse duties that conflict with their beliefs. Violations of the prohibition on adverse treatment could be prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

## Cosponsors (5)

- Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD] (R-SD), 2026-08-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL] (R-AL), 2026-08-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] (R-IA), 2026-08-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND] (R-ND), 2026-08-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN), 2026-09-14T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Stronger chaplain leadership and duties: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would set clear chaplain duties and strengthen service leadership across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force. The Army would get three Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains who would serve as brigadier generals. The Navy would require deputy chiefs to be active-duty chaplains with…
- New chaplain protections and penalties: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would bar forcing chaplains to perform rites that conflict with their sincere religious beliefs or their endorsing organization's tenets. It would forbid retaliation and many named adverse personnel actions, including removal, denial of promotion, or withholding pay or training…
- Who counts as a military chaplain: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would add a federal definition of 'chaplain.' To be a chaplain you would need to meet your endorsing organization's professional qualifications and the Department of Defense and service education requirements, and be appointed both as an officer and as a representative of your…

## Related bills

- 119-s-3752: SAVE America Act
- 119-s-5025: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026
- 119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025
- 119-s-84: Sarah's Law
- 119-s-1630: MOMS Act
- 119-s-587: Death Tax Repeal Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-5255 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5255)

## Related
- [119-s-3752: SAVE America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3752)
- [119-s-5025: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5025)
- [119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1241)
- [119-s-84: Sarah's Law](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-84)
- [119-s-1630: MOMS Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1630)
- [119-s-587: Death Tax Repeal Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-587)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5255 (as of 2026-09-16).