Dignity in Senate defeat
The Times Union reports:
The Senate on Thursday bowed to the Pentagon leadership and blocked controversial legislation that would have independent military lawyers rather than military commanders make the go, no-go decisions on the prosecution of sexual assaults in the nation’s armed forces.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., fell just five votes short of the 60 votes needed to win action by the full Senate on a measure designed to encourage victims of sexual assault to report attacks without fear of retribution by commanders or social isolation by fellow GIs.
“Tragically, today the Senate failed (the survivors),” Gillibrand said after the setback. “We know the deck is stacked against victims of sexual assault in the military, and today, we saw the same in the halls of Congress.”
