Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Lankford, James [R-OK]
Introduced
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.
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- 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.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Stronger chaplain leadership and duties
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 at least eight years' service and to serve as rear admirals (lower half) while serving. Commanding officers would have to provide facilities and needed transportation so chaplains can perform their duties.
New chaplain protections and penalties
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. The President would have one year to revise rules and the Manual for Courts-Martial so service members who violate these protections could be prosecuted under the UCMJ.
Who counts as a military chaplain
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 endorser. An administrative endorser that endorsed chaplains before enactment would be allowed to continue endorsing if it meets DoD and service requirements and provides documentation that the religious organizations it represents meet the law's criteria.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lankford, James [R-OK]
OK • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
SD • R
Sponsored 8/5/2026
Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 8/5/2026
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 8/5/2026
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 8/5/2026
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 9/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov