Unanimous Consent Request--S. 1520

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. No one has been as relentless in terms of trying to improve the Uniform Code of Military Justice, particularly with respect to sexual assault. And I agree: These crimes involving sexual assault can be properly moved out, done so in a way that does not impede good order and discipline in the U.S. military.

The issue that is emerging is an issue of the scope. The Senator's bill includes felonies like burglary and larceny that do not involve sexual assault. The Senator has pointed out, and I think correctly, that Congress has risen to the occasion. In fact, I was with people who wanted to repeal ``don't ask, don't tell.'' I was fighting for those things, along with other provisions that she cited.

But Congress has done the right thing only after careful consideration, and we have that opportunity in the committee. That is the way we have done every piece of major legislation since I have been here over a couple decades. There will be an opportunity to vote on all these issues in the committee with men and women who have great insight and knowledge--combat veterans, others who have served for a very long time. And they have invested, as I know the Senator has invested, time and effort and can perhaps improve the bill and perhaps point out areas of the bill that have not been thoroughly analyzed.

So I think it is incumbent upon us to move forward to consider this bill in committee and then to bring it to the floor of the Senate. There will be opportunities for amendments, and at the end of the day, we will have, I think, one, a better bill, perhaps. But, two, we will have a bill that people can embrace because it has been thoroughly vetted by the committee of jurisdiction.

So for those reasons, I would object to the unanimous consent request.

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