STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Responds to Filibuster Threats, Calls on Senate to Support Common Sense Legislation to Fight Epidemic of Sexual Assault in the Military
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2014
Contact: Brian Purchia, 202.253.(202) 253-4330 brian@protectourdefenders.com
*** STATEMENT ***
PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO FILIBUSTER THREATS, CALLS ON SENATE TO SUPPORT COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION TO FIGHT EPIDEMIC OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a press conference to call on the Senate to support the Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA). This common sense, bipartisan legislation already has 53 Senators publicly supporting the bill.
However, Senator McCaskill and others who oppose the bill have threatened to a filibuster.
Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish released the following statement:
“Victims and their families deserve a vote. Justice should not be filibustered. To use the filibuster to strike out against reform to provide justice for our troops is unconscionable.
The military justice system invests power in one person. A system, which too often protects the higher-ranking perpetrator and retaliates against the lower ranking victim. Your boss should not decide whether to prosecute a sexual assault allegation. It is un-American.
The public and a bipartisan majority of Senators support an independent and impartial justice system for our brave men and women in uniform. It is common sense and long overdue.
Our troops deserve a justice system equal to the civilians they protect.”
Tailhook Whistleblower and Protect Our Defenders Board of Directors Member Paula Coughlin said the following at a press conference earlier today:
“The calls from Military leaders and their supporters for more time ring hollow, and history shows that such promises are really just a veiled defense of the status quo. No more excuses. No more delays. Congress must act now.
Marine Veteran and Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Committee Member Stacey Thompson also called on the Senate to pass fundamental reform at the event:
“The core values of Marines are based upon Honor, Courage, & Commitment. I ask that you pass this bill in honor of the service members who have not yet reported sexual assault or rape, for fear of retaliation. I ask that you find the courage within yourselves to be involved in passing the first bi-partisan bill that would respectfully change the way the military responds to cases of sexual trauma. Finally, I ask you to vote in favor of the Military Justice improvement Act as a tangible commitment to protect and defend the service members of this country.”
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Protect Our Defenders to Join Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for Press Conference, Call on Senate to Support Common Sense Legislation to Fight Epidemic of Sexual Assault in the Military
Huffington Post: Claire McCaskill Vows To Filibuster Kirsten Gillibrand’s Military Sexual Assault Bill
Newsday: Gillibrand insists Senate will pass military justice bill next week
Roll Call: Gillibrand, McCaskill Resume Military Sexual-Assault Debate
http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/senators-prepare-for-military-sexual-assault-debate/
About Protect Our Defenders: Protect Our Defenders is a human rights organization. We seek to honor, support and give voice to the brave women and men in uniform who have been sexually assaulted while serving their country, and re-victimized by the military adjudication system – a system that often blames the victim and fails to prosecute the perpetrator. Learn more about Protect Our Defenders at www.protectourdefenders.com or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/ProtectOurDefenders or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ProtectRDfnders.
Protect Our Defenders partners with Attorney Susan Burke, of Katz, Marshall & Banks LLP to advance lawsuits filed against the DoD and service academies for repeatedly ignoring rape, sexual assault and harassment, failing to prosecute perpetrators and retaliating against the victim.
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