Executive Calendar

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Iowa, our colleague and friend, for those really eloquent and powerful remarks. I thank her and our other colleague from Iowa, who has been beside us from the very start of this cause 8 years or more ago. But most importantly, I thank my colleague from New York, who has been unstoppable, steadfast, and resolute in this cause. We are here today with that overwhelming, bipartisan support because of her advocacy, her eloquence, and power.

Above all, we are here today because of the survivors and victims who have come forward with tremendous courage and strength. As much courage as it takes to be in the military--and I pay tribute literally every day to the men and women in uniform who defend our country, who raise their right hand, willing to give their lives--it is equally if not more difficult to come forward as they have done over these years and speak their truth to us. I have been so impressed by their bravery and by their truth-telling.

I know as a prosecutor how difficult reporting this crime is in the civilian world, in universities, in the workplace. It is excruciatingly difficult to come forward and overcome the stigma and sometimes shame and the threat of retaliation. It is that threat of retaliation that we need to counter and stop because reporting of this crime is always difficult. Underreporting is a chronic problem in prosecuting it.

So taking it out of the chain of command, eliminating the prospect of retaliation, implicit fear, even if it is not spoken--it may be unspoken--and that is what our purpose is. It is not just taking sexual assault out of the chain of command of decision but also felonies, serious crimes that may be intertwined and interrelated with sexual assault, as they so often are in the civilian world, whether it is obstruction, intimidation of witnesses, assault, other crimes that may be related to it.

So I believe sincerely that this Secretary of Defense is committed to ending sexual assault. I talked to one of the nominees for a prominent position in the Department of Defense; I believe he is firmly committed. I have talked to others who have been confirmed or who will be nominated; they are firmly committed.

Let's make that commitment real and approve this legislation because the numbers have belied the promises. The results have betrayed the good intention, and now it is time for action.

Thank you, Mr. President.
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