Release from Congressman Huelskamp office.

(WASHINGTON) – Kansas Congressman Tim Huelskamp has introduced the “Military Religious Freedom Protection Act.” The legislation is intended to codify protections of religious liberty of chaplains and service members following repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The legislation was introduced with 10 original cosponsors and other members have added their names to the legislation since its introduction.

The Military Religious Freedom Protection Act (H.R. 3828) will ensure:

– Protection of rights of conscience of military chaplains: A chaplain cannot be required to perform or participate in any duty, rite, ritual, ceremony, service or function that is contrary to their own conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs or those of their faith group.

– Protection of rights of conscience of military members: A service member cannot be denied promotion or other training opportunities for any sincerely held belief he has about the appropriate or inappropriate expression of human sexuality. In other words, a service member cannot be discriminated against if he says that his religious beliefs include an opposition to homosexuality.

– Military facilities or other property owned by the Department of Defense cannot be used to perform a marriage or marriage-like ceremony involving anything other than the union of one man with one woman.

“Fundamental to the core of this nation is the protection of religious liberty,” Congressman Huelskamp said. “The Military Religious Freedom Protection Act will ensure that none of our men and women in uniform – including our chaplain corps – are asked to compromise their religious and spiritual beliefs. It will also protect the freedom of those in the military to express vocally the tenets of their faiths. And, it will make certain that our military facilities are not used in contravention to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which states that marriage is between one man and one woman only. Military installations exist to carry out the national defense of our nation, not to facilitate a narrow social agenda.”

The legislation has been referred to the Committee on Armed Services.