Sen. Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandGillibrand says Schumer should bring military sexual assault bill up for a vote Gillibrand says it’s a ‘misstep’ for Democrats to wait for Republicans to negotiate infrastructure Sunday shows – Infrastructure, Jan. 6 commission dominate MORE (D-N.Y.) on Sunday called on Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerGillibrand says Schumer should bring military sexual assault bill up for a vote NY, NJ rail project gets key federal approval Senate votes to advance China bill after Schumer strikes deal MORE (D-N.Y.) to bring her military sexual assault bill up for a vote on the Senate floor.
Speaking to host Jake TapperJacob (Jake) Paul TapperGillibrand says Schumer should bring military sexual assault bill up for a vote Gillibrand says it’s a ‘misstep’ for Democrats to wait for Republicans to negotiate infrastructure Sunday shows – Infrastructure, Jan. 6 commission dominate MORE on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Gillibrand said the bill, which she reintroduced in April, is “how we build a military justice system that’s worthy of the sacrifice our men and women in the military make.”
Gillibrand lamented the current system under which military sexual assaults are investigated, which requires a commander to look at an investigation and decide whether it will go to trial. The New York Democrat pointed to bias against sexual assault survivors as well as Black and brown service members as a reason for a new system.
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“Take biases out of the system across the board, you need a trained military prosecutor to make these decisions about whether it should go to trial. That takes it out of the chain of command,” Gillibrand said. “The chain of command has bias because they may know the perpetrator, the accused. They may know the survivor. And they may have a certain lens about which service member is better for fighting a war or better for good order and discipline within the ranks.”
“Over the last 10 years, the number of sexual assaults have gone up, but the percentage of cases going to trial and ending in conviction have gone down. Under President TrumpDonald TrumpBarbra Streisand: Republicans ‘want an authoritarian state’ DOJ adds four defendants to Oath Keepers conspiracy case J.D. Vance emerges as wild card in Ohio GOP Senate primary MORE, the statistics and details got even worse. And so we are not moving in the right direction,” Gillibrand added. “And, last, our allies have already done this.”
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Gillibrand attempted to get a vote on her bill last week but was met with opposition from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack ReedJack ReedGillibrand says Schumer should bring military sexual assault bill up for a vote Overnight Defense: Former Sen. John Warner dies at 94 | Sanders drops bid to block Israel arms sale | Japan-based carrier reportedly heading to Mideast for Afghanistan withdrawal Air Force secretary nominee: Gillibrand has ‘some persuasive arguments’ on military justice overhaul MORE (D-R.I.).
Reed argued that the issue would be included in a sweeping annual defense policy bill and that it should go through his committee instead.
Tapper asked Gillibrand why she thinks Reed is blocking her legislation.
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“You would have to ask Jack Reed,” Gillibrand responded. “But his insistence on narrowing this bill to one crime, the crime of sexual assault, you’re going to have — you’re going to basically break apart the criminal justice system within the military. You’re going to create one set of justice for one set of plaintiffs and defendants and the rest for everybody else. It’s not fair.”