Political Quotes

“Madam President, on military justice reform, I am pleased that the NDAA that we will consider this week will enact sweeping and historic reform that changes how sexual assault and other offenses are investigated and prosecuted in the Armed Forces. This bipartisan, bicameral compromise was achieved after tough negotiations with the House and also with the administration. The House voted last week 363 to 70 to pass this bill with these reforms--an overwhelming endorsement of the work that we do. I look forward to a similar, strong vote in the Senate this week, sending these reforms to the President of the United States. As you know, there have been many proposals for improving how the military prosecutes sexual assault and other crimes, from Senators, Representatives, from the administration, and from other organizations, all of them with their unique merits. Bringing all this together was difficult and complicated, but I believe we have done so effectively. Our bill removes all meaningful prosecutorial authority from the military chain of command for the series of sexual assault offenses under the UCMJ, as well as for other offenses, including the wrongful distribution of intimate visual images, domestic violence, stalking, retaliation, murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, and child pornography. Our bill creates special trial counsel, who are highly specialized, independent prosecutors outside the chain of command of the victims and the accused.…”