I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1529 
To amend title 10, United States Code, and the Ike Skelton National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 to provide for implementation 
of additional recommendations of the Defense Task Force on Sexual 
Assault in the Military Services. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 13, 2011 
Ms. TSONGAS (for herself, Mr. TURNER, Mr. HOLT, Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. 
DELAURO, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. CONAWAY, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. 
DONNELLY of Indiana, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. MILLER of 
Florida, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. FRANKS of Ari-
zona, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, and Ms. PINGREE of 
Maine) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, and the Ike Skelton 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 
to provide for implementation of additional recommenda-
tions of the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in 
the Military Services. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Defense Sexual Trauma Response Oversight and Good 
Governance Act’’ (the ‘‘Defense STRONG Act’’). 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Director of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. 
Sec. 3. Sexual Assault Response Coordinators and Sexual Assault Victim Advo-
cates. 
Sec. 4. Sexual assault victims access to legal counsel and services of Sexual As-
sault Response Coordinators and Sexual Assault Victim Advo-
cates. 
Sec. 5. Confidentiality of communications between sexual assault victims and 
Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, Victim Advocates, and 
certain other persons. 
Sec. 6. Retention of records prepared in connection with sexual assaults involv-
ing members of the Armed Forces or dependents of members. 
Sec. 7. Expedited consideration and priority for application for consideration of 
a permanent change of station or unit transfer based on hu-
manitarian conditions for victim of sexual assault. 
Sec. 8. Training and education programs for sexual assault prevention and re-
sponse program. 
SEC. 2. DIRECTOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND 
RESPONSE OFFICE. 
Section 1611(a) of the Ike Skelton National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Public Law 111– 
383; 10 U.S.C. 1561 note) is amended by adding before 
the period at the end of the first sentence the following: 
‘‘, who shall be appointed from among general or flag offi-
cers of the Armed Forces or employees of the Department 
of Defense in a comparable Senior Executive Service posi-
tion’’. 
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SEC. 3. SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATORS AND 
SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCATES. 
(a) ASSIGNMENT
AND TRAINING.—Chapter 80 of 
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1568. Sexual assault prevention and response: Sex-
ual Assault Response Coordinators and 
Victim Advocates 
‘‘(a) ASSIGNMENT OF COORDINATORS.—(1) At least 
one full-time Sexual Assault Response Coordinator shall 
be assigned to each brigade or equivalent unit level of the 
armed forces. The Secretary of the military department 
concerned may assign additional Sexual Assault Response 
Coordinators as necessary based on the demographics or 
needs of the unit. An additional Sexual Assault Response 
Coordinator may serve on a full-time or part-time basis 
at the discretion of the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) Effective October 1, 2013, only members of the 
armed forces and civilian employees of the Department of 
Defense may be assigned to duty as a Sexual Assault Re-
sponse Coordinator. 
‘‘(b) ASSIGNMENT OF VICTIM ADVOCATES.—(1) At 
least one full-time Sexual Assault Victim Advocate shall 
be assigned to each brigade or equivalent unit level of the 
armed forces. The Secretary of the military department 
concerned may assign additional Victim Advocates as nec-
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essary based on the demographics or needs of the unit. 
An additional Victim Advocate may serve on a full-time 
or part-time basis at the discretion of the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) Effective October 1, 2013, only members of the 
armed forces and civilian employees of the Department of 
Defense may be assigned to duty as a Victim Advocate. 
‘‘(c) TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION.—(1) As part of 
the sexual assault prevention and response program, the 
Secretary of Defense shall establish a professional and 
uniform training and certification program for Sexual As-
sault Response Coordinators assigned under subsection 
(a) and Sexual Assault Victim Advocates assigned under 
subsection (b). The program shall be structured and ad-
ministered in a manner similar to the professional training 
available for Equal Opportunity Advisors through the De-
fense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. 
‘‘(2) In developing the curriculum and other compo-
nents of the program, the Secretary of Defense shall work 
with experts outside of the Department of Defense who 
are experts in victim advocacy and sexual assault preven-
tion and response training. 
‘‘(3) Effective October 1, 2013, before a member or 
civilian employee may be assigned to duty as a Sexual As-
sault Response Coordinator under subsection (a) or Victim 
Advocate under subsection (b), the member or employee 
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must have completed the training program required by 
paragraph (1) and obtained the certification. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘armed forces’ means the Army, 
Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘sexual assault prevention and 
response program’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 1601(a) of the Ike Skelton National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Pub-
lic Law 111–383; 10 U.S.C. 1561 note).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1568. Sexual assault prevention and response: Sexual Assault Response Coordi-
nators and Victim Advocates.’’. 
SEC. 4. SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS ACCESS TO LEGAL 
COUNSEL AND SERVICES OF SEXUAL AS-
SAULT RESPONSE COORDINATORS AND SEX-
UAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCATES. 
(a) ACCESS.—Chapter 53 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 1044d the fol-
lowing new section: 
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‘‘§ 1044e. Victims of sexual assault: access to legal as-
sistance and services of Sexual Assault 
Response Coordinators and Sexual As-
sault Victim Advocates 
‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND VIC-
TIM ADVOCATE SERVICES.— 
‘‘(1) MEMBERS.—A member of the armed 
forces or a dependent of a member of the armed 
forces who is the victim of a sexual assault is enti-
tled to— 
‘‘(A) legal assistance provided by a mili-
tary legal assistance counsel certified as com-
petent to provide such duties pursuant to sec-
tion 827(b) of this title (article 27(b) of the 
Uniform Code of Military Justice); 
‘‘(B) assistance provided by a qualified 
Sexual Assault Response Coordinator; and 
‘‘(C) assistance provided by a qualified 
Sexual Assault Victim Advocate. 
‘‘(2) DEPENDENTS.—To the extent practicable, 
the Secretary of a military department shall make 
the assistance described in paragraph (1) available 
to dependent of a member of the armed forces who 
is the victim of a sexual assault and resides on or 
in the vicinity of a military installation. The Sec-
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retary concerned shall define the term ‘vicinity’ for 
purposes of this paragraph. 
‘‘(3) NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTANCE; 
OPT OUT.—The member or dependent shall be in-
formed of the availability of assistance under this 
subsection as soon as the member or dependent 
seeks assistance from a Sexual Assault Response Co-
ordinator or any other responsible member of the 
armed forces or Department of Defense civilian em-
ployee. The victim shall also be informed that the 
legal assistance and services of a Sexual Assault Re-
sponse Coordinator and Sexual Assault Victim Advo-
cate are optional and these services may be declined, 
in whole or in part, at any time. 
‘‘(4) NATURE OF REPORTING IMMATERIAL.—In 
the case of a member of the armed forces, access to 
legal assistance and the services of Sexual Assault 
Response Coordinators and Sexual Assault Victim 
Advocates are available regardless of whether the 
member elects unrestricted or restricted (confiden-
tial) reporting of the sexual assault. 
‘‘(b) RESTRICTED REPORTING OPTION.— 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY
OF
RESTRICTED
REPORT-
ING.—A member of the armed forces who is the vic-
tim of a sexual assault may confidentially disclose 
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‘‘(B) a civilian attorney serving as a legal 
assistance officer under the provisions of sec-
tion 1044 of this title.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1044d the following new 
item: 
‘‘1044e. Victims of sexual assault: access to legal assistance and services of Sex-
ual Assault Response Coordinators and Sexual Assault Victim 
Advocates.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT REGARDING PROVI-
SION
OF LEGAL COUNSEL.—Section 1044(d)(3)(B) of 
such title is amended by striking ‘‘sections 1044a, 1044b, 
1044c, and 1044d’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 1044a through 
1044e’’. 
SEC. 5. CONFIDENTIALITY OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN 
SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS AND SEXUAL AS-
SAULT RESPONSE COORDINATORS, VICTIM 
ADVOCATES, AND CERTAIN OTHER PERSONS. 
(a) ACCESS.—Chapter 53 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 1034a the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 1034b. Privilege against disclosure of certain com-
munications for victims of sexual assault 
‘‘(a) PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS.—Communica-
tions between a member of the armed forces or a depend-
ent of a member of the armed forces who is the victim 
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of a sexual assault and a person specified in subsection 
(b), and records of such communications created by or for 
the Department of Defense, are confidential and privi-
leged. 
‘‘(b) COMMUNICATIONS COVERED BY PRIVILEGE.— 
The privilege granted by subsection (a) applies to commu-
nications between a member of the armed forces or a de-
pendent of a member of the armed forces who is the victim 
of a sexual assault and any of the following persons: 
‘‘(1) Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. 
‘‘(2) Sexual Assault Victim Advocate. 
‘‘(3) Personnel staffing the DOD Safe Helpline 
or successor operation. 
‘‘(4) Military legal assistance counsel. 
‘‘(c) CONSENT EXCEPTION.—Without the consent of 
the member or dependent involved, any communication or 
record referred to in subsection (a) may not be— 
‘‘(1) subject to discovery or admitted into evi-
dence in any judicial or administrative proceeding; 
or 
‘‘(2) disclosed to any person or entity. 
‘‘(d) RELATION
TO OTHER PRIVILEGES AGAINST 
DISCLOSURE.—The privilege granted by subsection (a) is 
in addition to any other privilege against disclosure that 
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may exist with regard to communications between a victim 
of a sexual assault and another person. 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘sexual assault’ includes any of 
the offenses covered by section 920 of this title (arti-
cle 120). 
‘‘(2) The term ‘military legal assistance counsel’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) a judge advocate (as defined in sec-
tion 801(13) of this title (article 1(13) of the 
Uniform Code of Military Justice)); or 
‘‘(B) a civilian attorney serving as a legal 
assistance officer under the provisions of sec-
tion 1044 of this title.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1044d the following new 
item: 
‘‘1034b. Privilege against disclosure of certain communications for victims of 
sexual assault.’’. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—Section 1034b of title 10, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), applies 
to communications described in such section whether made 
before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. RETENTION OF RECORDS PREPARED IN CONNEC-
TION WITH SEXUAL ASSAULTS INVOLVING 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OR DE-
PENDENTS OF MEMBERS. 
(a) RETENTION AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF SEXUAL 
ASSAULT RECORDS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 50 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 993. Recordkeeping requirement: medical, inves-
tigative, and other records prepared in 
connection with sexual assaults 
‘‘(a) PERMANENT RETENTION OF RECORDS.—The 
Secretary of Defense shall establish a system for tracking 
and maintaining for not less than 100 years the records 
described in subsection (b) that are prepared by personnel 
of the Department of Defense or obtained by the Depart-
ment in connection with a sexual assault involving a mem-
ber of the armed forces or a dependents of a member to 
ensure future access to the records. 
‘‘(b) COVERED RECORDS.—The recordkeeping re-
quirement imposed by subsection (a) applies to the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) Department of Defense Form 2910, re-
garding the victim reporting preference statement, 
or any successor document. 
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‘‘(2) Department of Defense Form 2911, re-
garding the forensic medical report prepared in the 
case of a sexual assault examination, or any suc-
cessor document. 
‘‘(3) Medical records. 
‘‘(4) Investigative records prepared in connec-
tion with a sexual assault. 
‘‘(5) Such other information and reports as the 
Secretary of Defense considers appropriate. 
‘‘(c) VICTIM ACCESS.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that the victim of the sexual assault for which 
the records described in subsection (b) are prepared has 
permanent access to the records. 
‘‘(d) PROTECTION OF RESTRICTED REPORTING OP-
TION.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the 
recordkeeping system established pursuant to this section 
does not jeopardize the confidentiality of the restricted re-
porting option available under section 1044e(b) of this 
title to a victim of a sexual assault.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘993. Recordkeeping requirement: medical and investigative records prepared in 
connection with sexual assaults.’’. 
(b) TRANSMITTAL OF RECORDS TO DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS.—Subsection (c) of section 1142 of 
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healthcare personnel, judge advocates, and chap-
lains.’’. 
Æ 
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