TOURS Act Trauma Outreach, Understanding, and Resiliency through Spirituality Act
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill directs the Veterans Affairs Department to study how military chaplains affect veteran suicide rates and establishes an annual suicide prevention report. While focused on veterans' mental health, it recognizes the role of chaplains—religious service providers—in supporting veteran wellbeing.
Why it matters: The bill affirms government support for religious ministry as a legitimate health and welfare service, setting a precedent that faith-based spiritual care is valued and protected within federal agencies—a principle that extends to religious liberty protections more broadly.
Topic: Religious freedom & expression · classifier confidence 62%
What this changes
Amends existing law
Law today: The bill amends title 38, United States Code, relating to veterans' benefits and services. The Department of Veterans Affairs currently operates a Chaplain Service but the bill does not specify prior statutory requirements regarding veteran suicide prevention reporting or chaplain services evaluation.
If passed: The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to issue an annual report on veteran suicide prevention and to conduct a study examining whether the VA's Chaplain Service reduces suicide risk among veterans. If the study shows chaplain services are effective, Christian families may see greater emphasis and resources devoted to spiritual care and counseling for military families.
AI-generated from the bill text — verify against the official text.
Likely supporters & opponents
Likely support
- Religious liberty and veterans advocacy organizations — Chaplain services provide vital spiritual and moral support to veterans in crisis, and studying their effectiveness could demonstrate the value of faith-based interventions in suicide prevention.
Likely opposition
- Secular advocacy groups — The bill's focus on spirituality-based chaplain services may prioritize religious approaches over evidence-based clinical mental health treatments for suicide prevention.
AI-inferred typical positions based on the bill’s substance — general stakeholder categories, not confirmed endorsements.
Should I support this?
Likely helpful for Christian families
The bill recognizes and seeks to measure the value of spiritual care and the Chaplain Service in supporting veterans' mental health and suicide prevention, which aligns with Christian values of faith-based healing and acknowledges the role of spiritual community in addressing veteran crisis. It does not restrict parental authority or religious freedom; rather, it evaluates a faith-centered service.
An AI assessment from a Christian-family perspective — religious freedom, parental rights, and freedom in education — not legal or voting advice.
Official summary
To amend title 38, United States Code, to codify the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report and to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to study the effects of the Chaplain Service of the Department on the risk of suicide among veterans.
Sponsors
- David Valadao (R)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D)
Status timeline
- 2026-06-30Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.H
- 2026-06-18Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.H
- 2026-06-18Introduced in HouseH
H = House · S = Senate · A = Assembly