STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Calls Senator Levin Amendment Ineffective
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brian Purchia, , brian@protectourdefenders.com
PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS SEN. LEVIN AMENDMENT INEFFECTIVE, DOES NOT ADDRESS CORE PROBLEM OF MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT EPIDEMIC
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), the Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee removed legislation from the defense spending bill that addresses the core issue of the ongoing sexual assault crisis in our military – the often biased chain of command. Sen. Levin replaced the bipartisan Military Justice Improvement with his own measure that keeps prosecution within the chain of command. Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Boxer’s (D-CA) Military Justice Improvement Act would have removed the chain of command from decisions over whether series crimes are prosecuted – the bill had nearly a third of the Senate supporting it with 28 co-sponsors.
Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish released the following statement after today’s hearing:
“Senator Levin’s proposal does not constitute meaningful reform. It’s a tweak to a dysfunctional and biased system. It displays a shocking allegiance to military leaders over the interests of of sexual assault victims.
It is small incremental change and all behind the scenes. The trouble is, victims won’t see any of it. It does nothing to bolstertheir trust in the system.
