National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014
Floor Speech
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Ms. DUCKWORTH. Madam Speaker, the willingness of our troops to place the Nation first is why the scourge of sexual harassment and assault in the military is so horrific. Just a single case is unacceptable. This is a self-inflicted wound that has no place in the greatest military in the world.
I love the military with every bone in my body. The lessons I learned as an army officer, the camaraderie I experienced are at the core of who I am, just as it is for my brothers and sisters in arms. That is why I am personally devastated to see how many predators continue to abuse and attack one of our own.
The military is a place of great discipline, technical proficiency, and personal sacrifice for the greater good. It is a place where young men and women grow and thrive, developing as great leaders and team members. This is the case for so many of them. However, for some, the military has now become a place of fear and intimidation.
The services have made significant efforts to try to stamp out sexual harassment and assault, but there are still unacceptable failures in these efforts. With each new piece of data on the rates of sexual assault and on the lack of command responsibility by many in dealing with military sexual trauma, I have gradually come to the conclusion that we need another path to protect the victims.
This amendment adds a new course of action for victims to pursue should they choose it. It empowers them at a time when they feel most powerless with a new option that is outside the chain of command with an independent investigation and prosecution system.
I place the highest priority on the importance of a commander's authority to lead and discipline the men and women under his or her command. However, in the case of sexual crimes, there continues to be failures in the existing processes for investigations and punishments within that chain. That is why we must empower victims with an additional choice so that they can seek justice.
There are many, many good commanders. My own experience has been a positive one with all of my commanders, all of whom were men, being protective of all of their soldiers and doing the right thing. Yet the data shows that there are enough predators and failed commanders that we need to take care of this now. This solution supports command authority but also, importantly, empowers victims by giving them one more option.
The men and women in our Armed Forces are why we live freely in the greatest country in the world. When our warriors face combat, they must be able to focus completely and single-mindedly on the mission at hand. They cannot do this if they are threatened with sexual assault.
When our Nation's parents are approached by their brave young son or daughter who is looking to join the military, these moms and dads need to know without a doubt that their child will be cared for, that they will become disciplined, well-trained leaders. They should not have to fear that their child will become a rape victim.
The military is a place of honor, one where our troops serve with great pride. This amendment is a balanced approach that honors our military by providing the victim with a choice on how to seek justice.
Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield the balance of my time to the gen tle lady from California, who's been a leader in victims' rights, Ms. Speier.
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