,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #cabh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #ai1 
#bjai,mr4 ,lankford 7for himself and    
,mr4 ,inhofe7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1       
,united ,states ,code1 to reorganize the
 ,chaplain ,service of the ,department  
of ,veterans ,affairs1 and for other    
purposes4  #a4 ,reorganization of       
,chaplain ,service of ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,chaplain       
service  7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #c of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended by adding at the end the        
following new section3  #cbd4 ,chaplain 
,service  7a7 ,establishment ,there is  
in the ,department a ,chaplain ,service 
for the provision of religious pastoral 
care1 which may include clinical        
services by chaplains4  7b7 ,chief of   
,chaplain ,services  7#a7 ,the head of  
the ,chaplain ,service shall be the     

,chief of ,chaplain ,services 7in this  
section referred to as the ,chief71 who 
shall be appointed by the ,president1 by
 and with the advice and consent of the 
,senate4  7#b7 ,the ,chief shall report 
directly to the ,secretary4  7#c7 7,a7  
,the ,chief shall oversee the ,chaplain 
,service and shall be the proponent for1
 and coordinate with the ,secretary on1 
all guidance pertaining to pastoral     
care1 faith-based programs and          
instruction1 and any policy or guidance 
pertaining to religion or religious     
accommodation4  7,b7 ,all appropriate   
offices of the ,department will         
coordinate with the ,chief on best      
practices to implement guidance or      
policy pertaining to religion or        
religious accommodation4  7#d7 ,the     
office of the ,chief shall be colocated 
with the ,central ,office of the        
,department4  7c7 ,pastoral services    
7#a7 ,a chaplain in the ,chaplain       
,service shall provide religious        
pastoral services and care1 which may   

include clinical services as a part of  
their pastoral duties1 across all of the
 components of the ,department set forth
 in section #cja7;c7 of this title1 as  
the ,secretary and the ,chief consider  
appropriate4  7#b7 ,a chaplain in the   
,chaplain ,service may be hired under   
section #gdja7e7 of this title for the  
provision of clinical services4  7#c7 ,a
 chaplain described in paragraph 7#b7   
shall be considered an employee of the  
,chaplain ,service and shall furnish    
services across the ,department as a    
whole1 including the ,veterans ,health  
,administration1 the ,veterans ,benefits
 ,administration1 and the ,national     
,cemetery ,administration4  7#d7 ,the   
,chief shall coordinate with the ,under 
,secretary for ,health on the furnishing
 of clinical services by chaplains      
described in paragraph 7#b74  7d7       
,protection of chaplain services ,the   
,secretary may not require a chaplain in
 the ,chaplain ,service to perform any  
rite1 ritual1 or ceremony that is       

contrary to the conscience1 moral       
principles1 or religious beliefs of such
 chaplain4  7e7 ,regulations ,the       
,secretary shall issue regulations      
implementing the protections afforded by
 this section4  4  7#b7 ,clerical       
amendment ,the table of sections at the 
beginning of chapter #c of such title is
 amended by adding at the end the       
following new item3  #cbd4 ,chaplain    
,service4  4  7b7 ,conforming amendments
  7#a7 ,conforming amendment for ,office
 of the ,under ,secretary for ,health   
,section #gcjf of such title is         
amended-- 7,a7 by striking subsection   
7e72 and  7,b7 by redesignating         
subsection 7f7 as subsection 7e74  7#b7 
,conforming amendment regarding         
appointment of chaplains for provision  
of clinical services ,section #gdja of  
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraph3  7#e7          
,chaplains with demonstrated ability in 
the provision of clinical services4  4