U.S. State Attorneys General

I think we have to, as I just said, descend on those folks that are giving a bad rap to an essential program that people paid for.

If we know someone who is abusing of the system and playing golf, we are Members of Congress, we are sworn to uphold the laws of the land. Why aren't we reporting those folks ourselves?

I would like to engage the gentleman from California in a colloquy, if I may. The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Washington controls the time.

It is important that the Federal Government be a model employer of veterans.

I also wish to speak in support of S. 868, the Filipino Veterans Promise Act, I cosponsored with Sen. Heller.

This bill would ensure that religious symbols, regardless of affiliation, are allowed to be part of military memorials.

I want to associate myself with the testimony of my colleague from Hawaii, Senator Schatz, in support of S. 690, the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act.

I believe it is important that veterans are given proper compensation for the sacrifices made in service to our country.

Servicemembers are protected under law and DOD policy from retaliatory personnel actions based on protected communications.

General Dempsey, General Odierno, Admiral Greenert, General Amos, General Welsh, and Admiral Papp, after the initial training, how often is it repeated as these servicemembers progress in their careers?

Servicemembers are protected from reprisal and retaliation under the provisions of section 1034 of title 10, U.S.C.

We are facing a crisis in the ranks.

DOD has been trying to work on the issue of sexual assault for a significant period of time.

Unless and until we professionalize the military justice system, and afford servicemembers at least the same access to legal redress that civilian victims have, including critical access to civil suits, we will not change this culture.

In a culture that is so deeply rooted in sexist traditions, in which sexual assault of men occurs even more often than sexual assault of women...

We need to think well outside the box to find transformative solutions.

In the age of Steubenville, it is also not safe to be a woman at the Service Academies.

The majority of these are bipartisan and bicameral, which speaks to the collective approach required to see real change happen.

We know that the military justice system has not worked effectively for you.

I have submitted several Senate bills in my testimony.

So these surveys are institutionalized in the Army. What about the other Services?

If the report goes to someone who then reports to the chain of command, the chain of command must now consider it an unrestricted report.

I would suggest, and following up on some of my other colleagues' line of questioning, that I would like to know who does the survey?

I would really like to hear from you as to when you intend to or if you intend to talk with our allies as to what their experience is in moving in the direction that some of these bills move in.