News Release
For Immediate Release: 4.3.25
ILC Contact: Josue Sierra, jsierra@indlawcenter.org
Direct: 202-430-0282
FLI Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Stops Pennsylvania VA Hospital from Censoring Chaplains, Protects Chaplain Rights Nationwide
VA takes action to protect rights of chaplains after VA chaplain Rusty Trubey refused to back down when punished, threatened with censorship for sermon.
Harrisburg, PA—U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins sent a letter to First Liberty Institute and the Independence Law Center (“ILC”) announcing that his office has taken action to stop a speech code for chaplains threatened by the Coatesville (PA) VA Medical Center. The decision ensures that First Liberty and ILC client Chaplain Rusty Trubey and his chaplain colleagues across the nation may preach according to the dictates of their conscience.
You can read the letter here.
“Secretary Collins made it clear that the government has no business censoring anyone’s sermon, including military chaplains,” said Erin Smith, Associate Counsel at First Liberty Institute. “We are thrilled that Chaplain Trubey and his colleagues will no longer face the possibility of censorship or punishment for simply speaking according to their faith. We thank Secretary Collins for his protection of religious liberty.”
Randall Wenger of the Independence Law Center added, “We’re grateful for Secretary Collins’ swift action to defend religious liberty. Chaplains like Rusty Trubey serve those who have served us—our veterans—and they must be free to meet the spiritual needs of our service members according to conscience and Scripture. This is a win not just for Chaplain Trubey, but for every veteran and service member who relies on chaplains for biblical spiritual care.”
In his letter, Secretary Collins said, “It is undisputed and well-settled law that constitutional law and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protects statements made by all VA Chaplains while delivering sermons in accordance with their ecclesiastical endorsers.” He adds, “Further, VA confirms that there is no national or local policy or standard operating procedure which inhibits Chaplain sermons. To the extent that there have been any proposed changes to any existing policy, those proposals will not move forward and have been rescinded.”
An Army Reserve Chaplain, veteran, and former missionary, Russell (Rusty) Trubey has been a chaplain at the Coatesville (PA) VA Medical Center for nearly ten years. In June 2024, as part of his normal duties, Chaplain Trubey conducted a worship service in the chapel and preached a sermon from the first chapter of Romans. When Chaplain Trubey was cleaning up the chapel after the service ended, an onsite VA police officer approached him, alleging complaints made about his sermon from that day. Chaplain Trubey informed his supervisor, Chaplain Brynn White, that the police had been called after his sermon. After that, Chaplain Trubey was removed from his duties as chaplain, investigated for several months, and threatened with a mark on his permanent record. While the Coatesville facility rescinded this proposed reprimand, his supervisor attempted to implement an unconstitutional sermon review process and change the Chaplain SOP and Performance Plan to limit the topics on which chaplains could preach. If put into effect, chaplains could have been punished for preaching according to their faith tradition and religious convictions.
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
About Independence Law Center
The Independence Law Center is a public-interest civil rights law firm affiliated with the Pennsylvania Family Institute, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works to preserve religious liberty, promote marriage and the family, and protect human life.
To arrange an interview, contact Josue Sierra at jsierra@indlawcenter.org or by calling 202-430-0282.
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