Establishing the Special Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces to conduct oversight, ensure accountability, and report on the activities of the Department of Defense to prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims' services for cases of sexual assault and abuse in the Armed Forces.

Bill: 113-hres-213
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
Introduced: 2013-05-14
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses

Congressional committees

Congressional operations and organization

Congressional oversight

Crime prevention

Crime victims

Crimes against women

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Criminal justice information and records

Government studies and investigations

House of Representatives

Military personnel and dependents

Sex offenses
Latest action: action_date: 2013-05-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-05-14
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Establishes the Special Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces to conduct oversight, ensure accountability, and report to the House of Representatives on activities of the Department of Defense (DOD) to prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims' services for cases of sexual assault and abuse within the Armed Forces.</p> <p>Gives the Special Committee jurisdiction and oversight responsibility to conduct investigations into issues related to sexual assault and abuse in DOD, including prevention and victim services and care.</p>

tv_txt: IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 213 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 14, 2013 Ms. McCollum (for herself, Ms. Speier , Ms. Kaptur , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Ms. Lee of California , Mr. Rangel , Mrs. Napolitano , Ms. Jackson Lee , and Ms. Sinema ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules RESOLUTION Establishing the Special Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces to conduct oversight, ensure accountability, and report on the activities of the Department of Defense to prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims’ services for cases of sexual assault and abuse in the Armed Forces.

1. Establishment There is hereby established the Special Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces (hereinafter referred to as the Special Committee ) to conduct oversight, ensure accountability, and report on the activities of the Department of Defense to prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims’ services for cases of sexual assault and abuse in the Armed Forces. 2. Composition (a) Membership The Special Committee shall be composed of 19 members as follows: (1) Six members appointed by the Speaker. (2) Five members appointed by the Minority Leader. (3) The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services (or a designee from among the members of that committee). (4) The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations (or a designee from among the members of that committee). (5) The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary (or a designee from among the members of that committee). (6) The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (or a designee from among the members of that committee). If the chair or ranking minority member of any such committee declines to serve on the Special Committee, then the Speaker (in the case of a chair), or the Speaker after consultation with the minority leader (in the case of a ranking minority member), shall designate the member or members from that committee to serve on the Special Committee. (b) Designation of Chair and Ranking Minority Member The Speaker shall designate one member of the Special Committee to serve as its chair and the minority leader shall designate one member of the Special Committee to serve as its ranking minority member. 3. Jurisdiction; report (a) Investigations The Special Committee shall have jurisdiction and oversight responsibility to conduct investigations into issues related to sexual assault and abuse in the Department of Defense, including the following: (1) Prevention. (2) Reported and unreported incidents of sexual assault and abuse perpetrated by members of the Armed Forces and employees of the Department of Defense. (3) Prosecution. (4) Victim services and care. (5) All other related issues. (b) Report Not later than 120 days after its initial meeting, the Special Committee shall submit to the House a report on its investigations under this section. 4. Powers and Procedures Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives shall apply with respect to the Special Committee. 5. Staff; funding (a) Staff (1) To the extent practicable, the Special Committee shall utilize the services of staff of employing entities of the House. At the request of the chair in consultation with the ranking minority member, staff of employing entities of the House may be detailed to the Special Committee to carry out this resolution, and shall be deemed to be staff of the Special Committee. (2) The chair, upon consultation with the ranking minority member, may employ and fix the compensation of such staff as the chair considers necessary to carry out this resolution. (b) Funding There are authorized to be appropriated from the applicable accounts of the House such sums as may be necessary to carry out this resolution. Payments for the expenses of the Special Committee shall be made on vouchers signed by the chair and approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House Administration. Amounts made available under this subsection shall be expended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration. 6. Termination; Disposition of records (a) Termination The Special Committee shall terminate on the last day of the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress. (b) Records Upon termination of the Special Committee, the records of the Committee shall become the records of any committee designated by the Speaker.