A source tells Fox News that the Military Association of Atheists and Free Thinkers plans to make the request on Tuesday, floating its president Jason Torpy as the proposed chaplain.
Asked for comment, the association referred FoxNews.com to its position in support of a prior bid to name a “humanist” chaplain. The Defense Department has not yet returned requests for comment.
But an aide to Rep. John Fleming, R-La., who last year opposed the creation of such a position, said Monday that the congressman is “aware” of the revived push and “very concerned.”
The move would come after lawmakers, including Fleming, battled over the same issue last year.
Democrats tried, unsuccessfully, to pass legislation creating such a post in 2013. In response, Republicans offered up a measure of their own to prohibit the Pentagon from naming such a chaplain. The House approved the measure in July.
Sounds about right.