{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/defense-bill-includes-mccaskill-ayotte-fischers-additional_reforms-to-continue-curbing-sexual-assaults-in-the-us-military", "Defense Bill Includes McCaskill-Ayotte-Fischer’s Additional  Reforms to Continue Curbing Sexual Assaults in the U.S. Military", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Defense Bill Includes McCaskill-Ayotte-Fischer\u2019s Additional  Reforms to Continue Curbing Sexual Assaults in the U.S. Military \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t After last year\u2019s defense bill enacted historic reforms to the military justice system, supplemental reforms in the bipartisan Victims Protection Act take a step closer to final passage \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 3, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 One year after Congress passed into law sweeping changes to how the military justice system handles sexual violence, the U.S. Senate and House will soon vote on a bipartisan package of additional reforms sponsored by U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), and Deb Fischer (Neb.).\r\nThe current version of this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act will include provisions of the Senators\u2019 bipartisan Victims Protection Act\u2014a set of policies to supplement those that were already enacted in last year\u2019s annual defense bill. The Victims Protection Act would:\r\n \r\nEliminate the \u201cgood soldier\u201d defense for servicemembers accused of sexual assault under most circumstances,\r\nAllow victims formal input on whether their case is tried in military or civilian court,\r\nAllow survivors to challenge their discharge or separation from service,\r\nStrengthen the role of the prosecutor in advising commanders on going to court-martial,\r\nBoost accountability of commanders for setting appropriate command climate,\r\nAnd extend protections to the Military Service Academies.\r\n \r\nThe Victims Protection Act received unanimous approval in the Senate earlier this year, but had not yet received consideration in the U.S. House. The Senate and House will vote on the final negotiated version of the defense bill\u2014including these new reforms\u2014in the coming days. The Pentagon is also presenting a report this week to President Obama on progress combatting sexual violence in the ranks.\r\n\u201cA year ago, a sexual assault survivor in the U.S. military faced a daunting landscape, but things are different now,\u201d said McCaskill, a former courtroom prosecutor of sex crimes and senior member of the Armed Services Committee. \u201cWe\u2019re already seeing positive signs as a result of the historic reforms we passed last year\u2014but even if this week's report shows the continued progress we're hoping for, these additional reforms are commonsense ways to keep empowering survivors, and holding commanders accountable to curb these crimes.\u201d\r\n\u201cThese measures are important steps that will build on the reforms passed last year to prevent sexual assaults in our military, strengthen prosecution of such crimes, and provide victims with the support, care, and resources they need. Our legislation changes the status quo by holding commanders more accountable for treating victims with dignity and respect, and helps ensure that perpetrators will be fully prosecuted under the law. Our bill also removes the \u2018good soldier defense,' so that defendants are prosecuted based on the evidence and nothing else,\" said Ayotte. \u201cWe remain committed to ensuring that victims are supported, and I will continue to closely scrutinize our military's progress in implementing these reforms.\u201d\r\n\u201cThough we have already passed a series of significant, historic reforms to curb sexual assault in the ranks, we remain focused on achieving the intended results,\u201d Senator Fischer said. \u201cI am encouraged by the impact these changes have made: reporting is up and assaults are down. This is precisely the goal of our legislative efforts. We will continue to promote policies, like those within our Victims Protection Act, that empower victims and hold perpetrators accountable.\u201d\r\nAs part of last year\u2019s annual defense bill:\r\n \r\nCommanders were stripped of the ability to overturn convictions, and are now held accountable under rigorous new standards.\r\nEvery victim who reports a sexual assault gets their own independent lawyer to protect their rights and fight for their interests\u2014a reform that has no parallel in the civilian justice system.\r\nCivilian review is now required if a commander decides against a prosecution in a sexual assault case when a prosecutor wants to go to trial.\r\nDishonorable discharge is now a required minimum sentence for anyone convicted of a sexual assault.\r\nIt is now a crime for any servicemember to retaliate against a victim who reports a sexual assault.\r\nThe pre-trial \u201cArticle 32\u201d process, which came under scrutiny following a recent case at the Naval Academy, has been reformed to better protect victims.\r\nAnd the statute of limitations in these cases has now been eliminated, a particularly important development in a sustained battle against sexual assaults.\r\n \r\nAs these reforms have been implemented across the military, the Pentagon recently released figures showing a spike in reporting of sexual assaults, indicating increasing confidence in the military justice system from victims of sexual assault.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/defense-bill-includes-mccaskill-ayotte-fischers-additional_reforms-to-continue-curbing-sexual-assaults-in-the-us-military"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.355957007035613, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}