WASHINGTON — Supporters of increased religious freedom for military chaplains gained at least a partial victory before Congress went into recess for the November election.
The Senate and House of Representatives agreed on their last night in session on legislation directing the Air Force and Navy to rescind regulations issued early this year in favor of previous guidelines that are considered less restrictive, particularly on evangelical Christian chaplains. The provision was part of a conference committee report on the National Defense Authorization Act that was approved in a 398–23 vote by the House Sept. 29. The Senate followed with agreement by unanimous consent.
The action settled an impasse between House and Senate members negotiating differences between their two bills regarding the annual authorization for the Department of Defense.
The House’s version of the bill included language some congressmen considered necessary to protect evangelical chaplains who normally follow the New Testament pattern of praying in Jesus’ name. It said every chaplain “shall have the prerogative to pray according to the dictates of [his] own conscience.”
The Senate version of the defense authorization did not include that language. In the conference committee, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, led opposition to including the House-approved language, instead recommending hearings in the next session.
The conference committee ultimately agreed on calling for two of the military branches, the Air Force and Navy, to drop guidelines published in February and to return to ones issued in 1999 and 2000, respectively.
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