Senator Pryor Rises in Support of Service Academies Amendment

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I concur and join in the comments of my esteemed colleague from Arizona and my colleague from Colorado on this very important amendment the Senate is now considering. I believe the Senate needs to send a very strong signal that we will not tolerate sexual misconduct at our military academies. It is not only important for the cadets and their families but also for the Nation.

Yesterday I received notice that a young woman in Arkansas has now been accepted to the Air Force Academy. I called her on the phone. She is excited, eager, ready to go. We talked about the situation at the U.S. Air Force Academy. I have no doubt it will be a great experience for her, it will be a great education, and she will excel and achieve great things in her military career.

As I continue to recommend that young men and women go to our military academies, I want to proceed with confidence and know they are going into a healthy environment. These institutions are institutions of honor. There have been dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct at the U.S. Air Force Academy. It is time we stop and honor these victims, that we listen to them.

One thing that became very clear the other day in the hearing we had was that there were a lot of facts we did not know. There is a lot of evidence we still need to uncover. We need a clear picture of the atmosphere at our military academies. We need to ensure this Nation, the Air Force, the cadets, and the families that when we send young men and women to the Air Force Academy, they are going to a constructive environment, they are going into a culture that will not tolerate sexual impropriety.

This is not about a witch hunt. It is not about pointing fingers. It is about admitting to a problem, identifying the problem, and making sure it never happens again.

I thank my colleague from Colorado for all of his hard work. The chairman of the committee also had a hand in this and is a cosponsor. We are honored to have him. I thank the Members of this body for their time and patience, especially Senator Stevens of Alaska, who has worked this in on short notice, along with Senator Byrd of West Virginia, who has been very kind with the time.

I yield the floor.