As seen in the Washington
Post:
The House passed a $513 billion defense authorization bill yesterday that includes language intended to allow
chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus at public military ceremonies, undercutting new Air Force and Navy guidelines on
religion.[...]Before the bill reached the House floor, Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee added the provision on military
chaplains. It says each chaplain “shall have the prerogative to pray according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience,
except as must be limited by military necessity, with any such limitation being imposed in the least restrictive manner
feasible.”Air Force and Navy rules issued in recent months allow chaplains to pray as they wish in voluntary worship services. But the
rules call for nonsectarian prayers, or a moment of silence, at public meetings or ceremonies, especially when attendance is
mandatory for service members of all faiths.
If I’m not mistaken, the Air Force rules were influenced by recent complaints at the Air Force Academy made by non-Christians and
non-evangelical Christians who had issues with the degree of proselytization engaged by others at the academy seemingly with
official blessing.