[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 387. Mr. LANKFORD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the appropriate place in title VII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 7__. CONSCIENCE PROTECTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES 
                   WHO PROVIDE OR ASSIST WITH PROVISION OF HEALTH 
                   CARE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall not take 
     any adverse action against a member of the Armed Forces who 
     provides or assists in the provision of health care for the 
     Department of Defense (including as a behavioral, mental, or 
     physical health professional) on the basis that such member 
     declines to perform, assist, refer for, or otherwise 
     participate in a particular medical procedure, counseling 
     activity, or course of treatment because of a sincere 
     religious belief or moral conviction of such member or 
     because the particular medical procedure, counseling 
     activity, or course of treatment would, in the professional 
     medical judgment of such member, be harmful to the patient.
       (b) No Impact on Care.--The Secretary shall ensure that no 
     patient is unduly delayed in receiving any medically 
     indicated care they are otherwise eligible to receive, 
     including preventative, emergency, and routine care, because 
     of compliance by the Secretary with subsection (a).
       (c) Adverse Action Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``adverse action'' includes any adverse personnel action, 
     discrimination, or denial of promotion, schooling, training, 
     or assignment.
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