Military Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Act

Bill: 109-hr-5212
Sponsor: Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-28]
Introduced: 2006-04-26 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative procedure
Americans in foreign countries
Armed forces abroad
Arrest
Assault
Attorney-client privilege
Case management
Child abuse
Child safety
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Compensation for victims of crime
Conferences
Confidential communications
Congressional reporting requirements
Counseling
Courts-martial and courts of inquiry
Crime and Law Enforcement
Crime prevention
Crimes against women
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice information
Criminal statistics
Criminology
Curricula
DNA
Day care
Department of Defense
Disciplining of employees
Drug abuse
Education
Evidence (Law)
Ex-offenders
Executive reorganization
Families
Family planning and birth control
Family violence
Federal employees
Federal law enforcement officers
Federal officials
Fringe benefits
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publications
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Grievance procedures
Group counseling
Health
Higher education
Homicide
Housing and Community Development
Human immunodeficiency viruses
Identification devices
Informers
Injunctions
Inspectors general
Jurisdiction
Labor and Employment
Law
Law enforcement officers
Legal fees
Legal services
Medical education
Medical personnel
Medical screening
Medical tests
Mental health services
Military and naval offenses
Military dependents
Military hospitals
Military law
Military medicine
Military pay
Military promotions
Military training
Military transportation
Misconduct in office
Nonprofit organizations
Nurses
Occupational therapy
Officer personnel
Paramedical personnel
Physical therapy
Physician-patient privilege
Police
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Pregnancy
Promotions
Prosecution
Psychiatrists
Public service advertising
Rape
Recruiting of employees
Rehabilitation of criminals
Relocation
Reproduction
Right of privacy
Science, Technology, Communications
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sex crimes
Sexual harassment
Sexually transmitted diseases
Shelters for the homeless
Social Welfare
Social life and customs
Stalking
State laws
Suicide
Surveys
Telephone
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Veterans' benefits
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care
Victims of crimes
Whistle blowing
Wife abuse
Witnesses
Women
Women's shelters

Summary:
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: 
Military Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Act - Establishes in the Department of Defense (DOD) an Office of the Victims' Advocate to facilitate access to services for victims of domestic or family violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the military. Directs the Secretary of Defense to require DOD policies for victim assistance, family advocacy, and equal opportunity programs to provide within each military department a victims' advocates program. Requires the Secretary to establish an interdisciplinary council to coordinate and oversee such programs and related DOD efforts.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to award contracts to: (1) support DOD crisis intervention services for victims of such violence; and (2) provide training to DOD on prevention of such violence.
 
Requires the Secretary to convene a national biannual conference to review policies for prevention of and response to such violence.
 
Prohibits any person from restricting a member of the Armed Forces in communicating with the Office or from taking or withholding a personnel action in retaliation for making such a communication. 
 
Establishes as privileged, in cases arising under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, confidential communications between a client and a victim service organization or a health care professional.
 
Provides for: (1) employment of a sexual assault nurse examiner, a psychiatrist, and a complimentary clinical team at each DOD military treatment facility; and (2) DOD community level programs and shelter services for active duty members and their families who are victims of such violence shelter .
 
Specifies: (1) the rights of victims of such violence reported to a military law enforcement agency, including regarding notification; and (2) restitution requirements. 
 
Directs a military commanding officer who receives a qualifying complaint alleging such violence to investigate the matter, require a judge advocate's report, and report on the investigation's results.
 
 Specifies: (1) circumstances under which military law enforcement officers shall arrest a person for committing domestic violence; (2) policies regarding arrest procedures and prosecution of such offenses; and (3) domestic violence incident report requirements.
 
Establishes a Director of Special Investigations in DOD to review investigations of allegations of such violence and refer cases for prosecution.
 
Amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to: (1) include as &quot;aggravated assault&quot; and specify penalty limits for an assault involving domestic or family violence; and (2) provide for court-martial punishment of violations of no contact or protective orders.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts for treatment services for members of the Armed Forces who have committed such violence.
 
Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) ensure that Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care providers receive training in the screening and referral for services of veterans who have suffered military sexual trauma; and (2) conduct pilot programs on such screening and referral and on providing confidential treatment for such trauma. 
 
Prohibits the Secretary of the military department concerned from approving a financial award or a promotion for an officer or employee who has been convicted of or disciplined for committing such violence.
 

 
Directs the Secretary to conduct studies on: (1) the prevalence and nature of such violence, of intimate partner violence, and of child maltreatment, abuse, suicide, and homicide in the Armed Forces; and (2) military procedures after an incident is reported.
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-05-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2006-05-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E607)
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-04-26
text: Introduced in House