Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Sexual Harassment Independent Investigations and Prosecution Act, also known as the SHIIP Act, which addresses longstanding systemic problems in the way that the military investigates and prosecutes sexual harassment. I thank Senators Booker, Gillibrand, and Feinstein for being original cosponsors and Representative Speier for introducing this important legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

It has been 2 years since Army SPC Vanessa Guillen was murdered after she reported being sexually harassed by another servicemember. Her tragic death was the catalyst to an investigation that led the Independent Review Commission to recommend key changes to the way the Department of Defense handles sexual assault and sexual harassment. Some of these changes, including the codification of sexual harassment as a crime, were established last year through the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. Others, unfortunately, were left out.

We must continue to build on the important work of the Independent Review Commission and the steps taken in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act for the sake of our servicemembers. This includes codifying the requirement that any sexual harassment or assault complaint to be reviewed by a third-party investigator outside the chain of command. This change is essential to restoring the trust between soldiers and their superiors. Servicemembers would no longer have to fear their voices being stifled or dismissed altogether.

That is why I am introducing the SHIIP Act to require that all complaints of sexual assault and harassment be reviewed by a specially trained investigator outside the chain of command. The provisions in this legislation will move prosecutorial decisions on sexual harassment cases to the new special trial counsel, created by the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, and require that independent sexual harassment investigators be outside the chain of command and trained to investigate sexual harassment. These changes are essential to ensure servicemembers feel safe reporting any misconduct and that their complaints are investigated properly.

I urge my colleagues to pass the SHIIP Act as another step forward toward restoring faith in the military justice system. ______

By Mr. REED (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Van Hollen, and Ms. Murkowski):

S. 4120. A bill to maximize discovery, and accelerate development and availability, of promising childhood cancer treatments, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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