Providing for Consideration of H.R. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year and Providing for Consideration of Motions to Suspend the Rules

Floor Speech

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Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this year's National Defense Authorization Act. This bill addresses many critical components of our national defense, including the urgent need to tackle sexual assault across the United States military.

Recent years have seen significant progress towards reforming how sexual assault claims are handled. Now it is time for Congress to confront the conditions that allow sexual assault to happen in the first place.

We have an obligation to protect and safeguard those who answer the call to service and wear the uniform of the United States. It is not good enough merely to have the best training and equipment on the battlefield; we must also protect our soldiers on base or wherever they are.

This NDAA includes an amendment I coauthored that does just that by directing the Secretary of Defense to create a civilian advisory committee on sexual assault prevention in the military. This committee would be comprised of civilians with expertise in campus sexual assault prevention, suicide prevention, public health, and perhaps, most importantly, culture change of large organizations.

We absolutely can make more meaningful progress to make military sexual assault a thing of the past. I am glad that opportunity is reflected in the NDAA before us now. I urge support of this bill.

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