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Bill
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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.

H.R. 450 · 115th Congress · Jan 11, 2017 · Lineage

A BILL

Section 1 Protection of the religious freedom of military chaplains to close a prayer outside of a religious service according 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 subsection (d); and
(2)
by inserting after subsection (b) the following 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 religious 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
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(b) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a religious 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 religious 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 religious 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 subsection:

“(b) If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a religious service, the Chaplain shall have the prerogative to close the prayer according to the dictates of the Chaplain’s conscience.”