I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 450 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that every military chaplain 

has the prerogative to close a prayer outside of a religious service 

according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 11, 2017 

Mr. JONES introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that every 

military chaplain has the prerogative to close a prayer 

outside of a religious service according to the dictates 

of the chaplain’s own conscience. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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•HR 450 IH

1 SECTION 1. PROTECTION OF THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM OF 

2 MILITARY CHAPLAINS TO CLOSE A PRAYER 

3 OUTSIDE OF A RELIGIOUS SERVICE ACCORD4 ING TO THE DICTATES OF THE CHAPLAIN’S 

5 CONSCIENCE. 

6 (a) CHAPLAIN-LED PROGRAMS.—Section 1789 of 

7 title 10, United States Code, is amended— 

8 (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub9 section (d); and 

10 (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol11 lowing new subsection (c): 

12 ‘‘(c) If called upon to lead a prayer during a chaplain13 led program referred to in subsection (a), a chaplain shall 

14 have the prerogative to close the prayer according to the 

15 dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience.’’. 

16 (b) UNITED STATES ARMY.—Section 3547 of title 

17 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 

18 the following new subsection: 

19 ‘‘(c) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli20 gious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close 

21 the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own 

22 conscience.’’. 

23 (c) UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY.—Section 

24 4337 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 

25 (1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘There’’; and 


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•HR 450 IH

1 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub2 section: 

3 ‘‘(b) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli4 gious service, the Chaplain shall have the prerogative to 

5 close the prayer according to the dictates of the Chaplain’s 

6 conscience.’’. 

7 (d) UNITED STATES NAVY AND MARINE CORPS.— 

8 Section 6031 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 

9 by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

10 ‘‘(d) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli11 gious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close 

12 the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own 

13 conscience.’’. 

14 (e) UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.—Section 8547 of 

15 title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

16 end the following new subsection: 

17 ‘‘(c) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli18 gious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close 

19 the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own 

20 conscience.’’. 

21 (f) UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY.—Section 

22 9337 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 

23 (1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘There’’; and 

24 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub25 section: 


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•HR 450 IH

1 ‘‘(b) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli2 gious service, the Chaplain shall have the prerogative to 

3 close the prayer according to the dictates of the Chaplain’s 

4 conscience.’’. 

Æ 


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