Mazie Hirono: “I rise today to reintroduce the `I Am Vanessa Guillen Act' that addresses longstanding systemic problems in the way that…”

“I rise today to reintroduce the `I Am Vanessa Guillen Act' that addresses longstanding systemic problems in the way that the military responds to sexual harassment and sexual assault. I thank Representative Speier and Representative Mullin for reintroducing this important legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen disappeared from her Fort Hood, Texas, Army base in April 2020. Tragically, last June, Fort Hood officials confirmed that remains found near the Leon River in Bell County, Texas, were Vanessa's. Vanessa had told other soldiers at Fort Hood that she was being sexually harassed and confided to her family that the perpetrator was a fellow Army Soldier. A separate fellow Soldier was suspected of beating Vanessa to death with a hammer, and then, with his girlfriend, dismembering, burning, and burying Vanessa's body about 30 miles from Fort Hood. This other Soldier--the suspect in question--fatally shot himself when confronted by authorities for questioning off post. His girlfriend has been charged in federal court with conspiracy to tamper with evidence. The Army finally acknowledged that Vanessa did report being sexually harassed by a superior in her chain of command in the months leading up to her murder.…”