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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. PROTECTION OF THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM OF 
MILITARY CHAPLAINS TO CLOSE A PRAYER 
OUTSIDE OF A RELIGIOUS SERVICE ACCORD-
ING TO THE DICTATES OF THE CHAPLAIN’S 
CONSCIENCE. 
(a) CHAPLAIN-LED PROGRAMS.—Section 1789 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c) If called upon to lead a prayer during a chaplain- 
led program referred to in subsection (a), a chaplain shall 
have the prerogative to close the prayer according to the 
dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience.’’. 
(b) UNITED STATES ARMY.—Section 3547 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli-
gious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close 
the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own 
conscience.’’. 
(c) UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY.—Section 
4337 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘There’’; and 
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(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(b) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli-
gious service, the Chaplain shall have the prerogative to 
close the prayer according to the dictates of the Chaplain’s 
conscience.’’. 
(d) UNITED STATES NAVY AND MARINE CORPS.— 
Section 6031 of title 10, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli-
gious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close 
the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own 
conscience.’’. 
(e) UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.—Section 8547 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli-
gious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close 
the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own 
conscience.’’. 
(f) UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY.—Section 
9337 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘There’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
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‘‘(b) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a reli-
gious service, the Chaplain shall have the prerogative to 
close the prayer according to the dictates of the Chaplain’s 
conscience.’’. 
Æ 
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