WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke on the Senate floor today in strong support of legislation coming before the Senate that would address the crisis of sexual assault in the military.
"Since 2004, I have been sounding the alarm over the military's ineffective response to the growing crisis of sexual assault in the military, including the need to ensure appropriate punishment for the perpetrators, to provide adequate care for the survivors of such reprehensible crimes, and to change the culture across the military so that sexual assault is unthinkable," said Senator Collins, who first raised this issue during an Armed Services Committee hearing ten years ago.
In her remarks on the Senate floor, she singled out for praise the courage of two Mainers who have come forward to tell their stories.
"I also want to acknowledge the courage and conviction of Jennifer Norris and Ruth Moore - two Mainers who were sexually assaulted while serving and have made it their mission to change the broken system that does not put victims first. Through their advocacy, they have helped to shine a light on this crisis and deserve our gratitude."
Senator Collins has led several successful efforts to enact legislation to improve sexual assault prevention response in the military. In the last Congress, she co-authored the STRONG Act with then-Senator John Kerry, which became law in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This Congress, she authored the Coast Guard STRONG Act and cosponsored the Military Justice Improvement Act, BE SAFE Act, and Article 32 Reform Act, many provisions of which have been signed into law as part of the FY 2014 NDAA. In addition, she has cosponsored the Ruth Moore Act, which would make it easier for survivors of military sexual assault to obtain recognition of service-connected disability from the Department of Veterans Affairs and improve survivors' access to important health services.
In 2012, the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) presented Senator Collins with The Lauterbach Award for Truth and Justice in recognition of her commitment to the elimination of sexual violence in the military. Mary Lauterbach, the mother of Marine Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach, who was 20 years old when she was murdered in 2007 by a fellow Marine accused of raping her only weeks before, presented the award to Senator Collins.Below is the full text of Senator Collins' remarks:
I am relieved that legislation addressing the crisis of military sexual assault has finally been brought to the Senate floor, and want to commend Senators Gillibrand and McCaskill for their leadership in bringing this important issue to the forefront.
I also want to acknowledge the courage and conviction of Jennifer Norris and Ruth Moore - two Mainers who were sexually assaulted while serving and have made it their mission to change the broken system that does not put victims first. Through their advocacy, they have helped to shine a light on this crisis and deserve our gratitude.
Since 2004, I have been sounding the alarm over the military's ineffective response to the growing crisis of sexual assault in the military, including the need to ensure appropriate punishment for the perpetrators, to provide adequate care for the survivors of such reprehensible crimes, and to change the culture across the military so that sexual assault is unthinkable.
It was ten years ago during an Armed Services Committee hearing that I first brought up the alarming increase in sexual assault in the military.
Back then, the attitude of General George Casey Jr., then Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, testifying at that hearing was dismissive -- even though these are serious crimes that traumatize survivors and erode the trust and discipline fundamental to every military unit.
While the attitude among most senior military leaders today is markedly different than the one I encountered 10 years ago, the work of translating the military's stated policy of zero tolerance into reality remains unfinished business. Fostering a culture of zero tolerance so that the number of assaults is greatly diminished remains a goal, not reality. And ensuring that survivors do not think twice about reporting an assault for fear of retaliation or damage to their careers is still not part of the military culture.
In 2011, I joined our former colleague John Kerry in co-authoring the Defense STRONG Act as an initial step to address this issue. The provisions of that bill, which were signed into law in the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, provide survivors of sexual assault the assistance of advocates with genuine confidentiality, guaranteed access to a lawyer, and expedited consideration to be transferred far away from their assailant.
Those were helpful first steps. But more than anything, survivors need to have the confidence that the legal system in which they report a crime will produce a just and fair result.
This is a goal that I believe is shared by all members of the Senate, despite the differing opinions of the best path for achieving this goal.
In the 113th Congress, a number of proposals have been introduced aimed at reducing the barriers to justice that many survivors of sexual assault face in the military. I have been pleased to work with both Senators Gillibrand and McCaskill toward this end, and as a result of our efforts as well as those of many others, including Chairman Levin and Ranking Member Inhofe, important provisions have already been signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act.
Among these provisions is legislation I authored to extend the STRONG Act to the Coast Guard. In addition, Senator McCaskill and I authored provisions mandating a dishonorable discharge or dismissal for any service member convicted of sexual assault, and allowing a commander to relocate an alleged perpetrator of a sexual assault crime rather than the survivor.
Senator Gillibrand and I authored a provision that eliminates the elements of the character of the accused from the factors a commander should consider, and Senators McCaskill and Gillibrand and I authored a provision that eliminates a commander's ability to overturn a conviction by jury post-trial.
I am encouraged that we have been able to take these steps to address this vitally important issue. I remain cognizant that there are strong views at the Pentagon and in Congress about how we should best move forward from here, and what that may mean for the military's unique legal system.
One of the criticisms is that we should wait a few more months for the results of a few more studies or wait a few more years to see if recently enacted provisions have made a difference. I strongly disagree. How many more victims are required to suffer before we act? How many more lives must be ruined before we act?
Rather than waiting for the results of yet more studies, we must enact real reforms to increase the confidence of survivors and strengthen prevention efforts now.
Senator Gillibrand's bill is a reasonable proposal designed to communicate to survivors and potential perpetrators alike that when survivors are subjected to these unacceptable crimes, they will have access to a legal system that fully protects their interests as much as the military's.
Providing our troops with that basic confidence is the least we can do.
There is no question of Congress' commitment to reducing the instances of sexual assault in the military and providing appropriate care for survivors. While we debate various proposals, we are united by the need for serious reforms that will strengthen the military's response to sexual assault. I am certain that our work will reduce the unnecessary suffering and injustice felt by those who have survived these horrific crimes.