The Daily News: Guest Column: Bill would change military for better
Congressmen Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) calls for support for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement Act:
I believe it’s time to give victims of sexual assaults within the military the ability to consult with an experienced and objective third party — and not just a soldier’s commanding officer.
Last month, I cosponsored legislation that would remove sexual assault investigations from the chain of command. The bill would mean that evidence of a sexual assault case would be evaluated by independent, trained prosecutors who would decide if proceedings should move forward based on the facts of the case.
This bill, the Military Justice Improvement Act, has so far earned a broad range of support — from Democratic elected officials such as Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., to Republican Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Importantly, this bill maintains the authority of commanding officers to address other serious crimes unique to the military, such as disobeying orders and going absent Without leave.
