WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Dean of the Senate women, today was joined by Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) in leading a bipartisan group of Senate women in speaking out on the Senate floor working to support historic change in an ongoing effort to address military sexual assault.
"This is a compelling national problem. When you join the military and you face the enemy, you shouldn't have to fear the enemy within. No woman should be a victim of rape by a fellow soldier or seaman or corpsman. No man should face the same sexual attack and call it hazing. There is no place in the United States military for violence against one member of the military by another," Senator Mikulski said. "We, the women of the Senate, all of us, agree on the goals. We want to be able to provide prosecutorial tours for punishment. We want to ensure fairness in the process. And we want to make sure we get help to the victims. The National Defense Authorization Act has more than 30 reforms in it to accomplish that. Thirteen related to prosecutorial reforms. Ten are reforms to improve victims' services. Two reforms to improve training of first responders, five also deal with various kinds of reporting. We are ready to reform, revise and standardize how the military deals with these problems. These reforms would change the way the military thinks and how they act."
"I have been terribly disturbed by a seemingly endless stream of allegations of sexual misconduct, and by the fact that, nearly ten years after I first publicly raised the issue of sexual assault with military leaders in 2004, the problem persists at such an alarming rate. While I believe the vast, overwhelming majority of our military personnel are honorable individuals, we must ensure that justice is swift, fair, and certain for the criminals who have perpetrated these crimes," said Senator Collins. "There can be no question of the Senate's commitment to reducing the instances of sexual assault in the military and providing appropriate care for survivors. The women of the Senate are united by the need for serious reforms that will enhance the military's response to sexual assault."
As the Senate debates the National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate women are ready to reform, revise and standardize how the military deals with sexual assault. With an historic 20 women serving in the Senate, including seven on the Armed Services Committee, more than 30 reforms on sexual assault are included in the bill.
Senators Mikulski and Collins were joined in making remarks on the Senate floor by Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
Video of Senator Collins' full floor speech can be seen here.