McCaskill, Ayotte Statement on Defense Bill Agreement
Press Release
U.S. Senators and former prosecutors Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) today released the following joint statement after the leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees unveiled a plan to pass this year's annual defense bill-including dozens of historic provisions to protect and empower victims of sexual assault, boost prosecutions of sexual predators, and hold military commanders accountable:
"This agreement represents a huge win for justice in America's Armed Forces. While we're frustrated that votes on additional measures did not occur, these historic reforms - including installing civilian review over prosecutorial decisions, barring commanders from changing jury verdicts, assigning victims their own legal counsel, criminalizing retaliation against victims, and mandating dishonorable discharge for convicted sex offenders -will mean a new day for justice for American servicemembers. And we're going to work as hard as we can to enact these critical reforms into law."
Ayotte, a former prosecutor and state attorney general, has worked for much of this year on legislation to ensure that victims receive the support they need, criminals are punished for their crimes, and commanders are held fully accountable for what happens in their units. Last month, Ayotte worked with McCaskill and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) to introduce an amendment that would have further strengthened the reform package included in the bill.
Today's agreement contains a long list of reforms already included in the Senate's National Defense Authorization Act, including a provision authored by Senator Ayotte and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) that provides victims of sexual assault in all military branches with a Special Victims' Counsel - a trained military lawyer to assist victims throughout the legal process. Additional provisions include:
* Stripping military commanders of their ability to overturn jury convictions
* Requiring civilian review if a commander declines to prosecute a case
* Mandating dishonorable discharge for anyone convicted of sexual assault
* Criminalizing retaliation against victims who report a sexual assault
* Eliminating the statute of limitations in rape and sexual assault cases
Source