S.Amdt. 462

SA 462. Mr. MARSHALL 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 end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

SEC. 727. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING REMOVAL OF PRIESTS FROM
WALTER REED MEDICAL HOSPITAL.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the provision of pastoral care by priests and religious
leaders is vital for the spiritual and emotional well-being
of members of the Armed Forces and their families;
(2) medical facilities of the Department of Defense,
including Walter Reed Medical Hospital, play a critical role
in providing health care services to the military community;
(3) recent reports prior to the date of the enactment of
this Act indicate that priests providing pastoral care at
Walter Reed Medical Hospital were unexpectedly removed,
disrupting the availability of spiritual support for patients
and their families;
(4) the sudden removal of priests from Walter Reed Medical
Hospital raises concerns about the effect on the religious
and spiritual needs of patients during their healing process;
(5) priests offer invaluable guidance, comfort, and solace,
and their presence is essential for individuals facing
physical and emotional challenges; and
(6) the Secretary of Defense should investigate the
circumstances surrounding the removal of priests from Walter
Reed Medical Hospital and take appropriate measures to ensure
that patients have access to pastoral care services without
interruption.
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