Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says that her legislation to overhaul how the military prosecutes serious crimes will likely receive a vote in the Senate in the fall
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Thursday that her legislation to overhaul how the military prosecutes serious crimes will likely receive a vote in the Senate in the fall.
The military justice shakeup — which would remove the chain of command from decisions involving prosecution and give the responsibility to independent military prosecutors — would almost certainly pass if granted a vote. Gillibrand has secured 65 cosponsors, including 21 Republicans, for overhauling the system as concern grows across Capitol Hill about the military's inability to stem the tide of sexual assaults in the ranks.
The vote would also mark a breakthrough for Gillibrand and other advocates of the change, who have seen their efforts to force a floor vote stymied by Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed and ranking Republican Jim Inhofe despite overwhelming support. For months, Gillibrand has sought unanimous consent on the Senate floor to line up a vote on the bill, but has been blocked by Reed and Inhofe.
Reed has argued that the military justice legislation should be dealt with in the Armed Services Committee. He has endorsed removing commanders' authority to prosecute sex crimes, a reform backed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Joe Biden following the recommendations of an independent review panel on military sexual assault commissioned by the Pentagon chief.
"We're certainly going to debate all of these ideas in the committee, and I will hopefully get votes on everything within the committee. But I also hope to get a floor vote," Gillibrand said. "I have a concern that even if we win in committee and get the things we want in this bill that it will be taken out in conference, and so I think it is necessary to have a floor vote no matter what.
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