Bill > S1611

This bill, the I am Vanessa Guillén Act of 2021, aims to improve the Department of Defense's response to sex-related offenses. Key provisions include: - Establishing the Office of the Chief Prosecutor to review charges involving sex-related offenses and determine if they should be tried by court-martial. This Office will have the authority to convene preliminary hearings on these offenses. - Modifying the officers authorized to convene general and special courts-martial for sex-related offenses, with a new senior-level office established in each military department to handle these cases. - Creating a new punitive article under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for the offense of sexual harassment. - Requiring independent investigations of sexual harassment complaints filed by service members. - Authorizing claims against the U.S. government by service members who are victims of sex-related offenses due to the government's negligence. - Mandating reports on the military's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Programs and requiring improvements to the Army's program. The goal is to increase accountability and provide more support for victims of sexual assault and harassment in the military.