‘‘(F) Providing spiritual ministrations and 
activities. 
‘‘(G) Advising on religious accommodation 
requests. 
‘‘(H) Providing religious training and edu-
cation. 
‘‘(b) PROTECTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) A chaplain’s responsibilities and require-
ments, as outlined in subsection (a), must be con-
ducted in a manner consistent with the chaplain’s 
sincerely held religious beliefs and tenets of their re-
ligious-endorsing organization. 
‘‘(2) Chaplains shall have the right to conduct 
public worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver ser-
mons, advise, minister, and offer prayer in accord-
ance with the chaplain’s sincerely held religious be-
liefs and tenets of their religious-endorsing organiza-
tion. These activities must be free from censorship, 
undue restriction, or fear of retribution. 
‘‘(3) No member of the Armed Forces may— 
‘‘(A) require or assign a chaplain to per-
form any rite, ritual, ceremony, procedure, ser-
mon, speech, or other task or action contrary to 
the sincerely held religious beliefs of the chap-
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lain, or to the tenets of their religious-endorsing 
organization; or 
‘‘(B) retaliate, discriminate or take any ad-
verse personnel action against a chaplain, in-
cluding denial of promotion, schooling, training, 
assignment, or financial recoupment; issuance 
of letters of reprimand; or any other adverse ac-
tions or entries in their record, based on the 
chaplain’s refusal to comply with a requirement 
prohibited under subsection (b). 
‘‘(4) Chaplains must uphold their duty to pro-
tect confidential, sacramental, and privileged com-
munications, including those recognized under appli-
cable laws and policies. 
‘‘(c) ASSISTANCE
BY COMMANDING OFFICERS.— 
Each officer shall furnish facilities, including necessary 
transportation, to any chaplain assigned to the command 
of the officer, to assist the chaplain in performing the du-
ties, responsibilities, and requirements of the chaplain. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) ADVERSE PERSONNEL ACTION.—The term 
‘adverse personnel action’ means any action taken 
against a service member that affects or has the po-
tential to affect their current position or career, in-
cluding promotion, disciplinary actions, transfers, 
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performance evaluations, pay, benefits, awards, 
training, relief, removal, separation, discharge, or 
mental health evaluations. 
‘‘(2) 
CENSORSHIP.—The 
term 
‘censorship’ 
means any governmental action taken to suppress or 
restrict information, ideas, or expression. 
‘‘(3) CHAPLAIN.—The term ‘chaplain’ means a 
fully qualified member of the clergy from a religious 
tradition who— 
‘‘(A) satisfies the professional qualifica-
tions of the chaplain’s religious-endorsing orga-
nization and the educational requirements of 
the Department of Defense and the commis-
sioning Armed Service; and 
‘‘(B) is appointed as both an officer in the 
Chaplain Corps of the Armed Services and a 
representative of the chaplain’s religious-endors-
ing organization to which the chaplain remains 
accountable for providing religious ministry to 
the Armed Services. 
‘‘(4) CONFIDENTIAL, SACRAMENTAL, AND PRIV-
ILEGED COMMUNICATIONS.—The term ‘confidential, 
sacramental, and privileged communications’ means 
private communications made during either religious 
sacraments or religious practice, which are protected 
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from being disclosed unless the individual gives the 
chaplain express permission. 
‘‘(5) RELIGIOUS-ENDORSING ORGANIZATION.— 
The term ‘religious-endorsing organization’ means 
an entity that— 
‘‘(A) is organized and functions primarily 
to perform religious ministries to non-military 
lay members and meets the requirements of the 
Department of Defense and the commissioning 
Armed Service; and 
‘‘(B) possesses ecclesiastical authority to 
endorse and withdraw endorsement for chap-
lains serving under the authority of such entity 
to conduct religious observances or ceremonies 
in a military context.’’. 
(b) NAVY.— 
(1) CHAPLAIN
CORPS
AND
CHIEF
OF
CHAP-
LAINS.—Section 8082 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f) The Chief of Chaplains shall serve as an adviser 
to the Secretary of the Navy. 
‘‘(g) The Navy Chaplaincy, which also services the 
Marine Corps and the Coast Guard, shall provide the fol-
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lowing and shall be overseen by the Office of the Chief 
of Chaplains: 
‘‘(1) Advise and assist commanders in dis-
charging their responsibilities to provide free exer-
cise of religion in military service, pursuant to the 
First Amendment of the United States Constitution, 
section 2000bb–1 of title 42, United States Code, 
and related statutes and policies. 
‘‘(2) Serve as principal advisers to commanders 
on all issues concerning religious practices, spiritual 
readiness, religious provisions and religion’s influ-
ence on military operations. 
‘‘(3) Assist commanders in managing religious 
affairs, including the accommodation of religious 
practices and the development of policies and proce-
dures related to the free exercise of religion. 
‘‘(4) Oversee education and training programs 
concerning the accommodation of religious practices 
for service members. 
‘‘(5) Provide guidance on the qualifications and 
requirements for religious-endorsing organizations 
submitting candidates for military chaplaincy. 
‘‘(6) Evaluate requests for the accommodation 
of religious practices and advise commanders on 
their approval or denial. 
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