Remove Sex Assault Cases from Military Authority, Proposes Sen. Gillibrand

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is raising her profile as one of the leading Democratic advocates for changing the way the military prosecutes sexual assault cases.

Gillibrand is making the case both publicly and privately to remove sexual assault cases from the military's chain of command, a step that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other military leaders have resisted.

Hagel has proposed to address the increase of sexual assaults in the military by stripping commanders of the ability to overturn guilty verdicts, but Gillibrand's bill — which she will introduce Thursday with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) — would go even further.

Gillibrand wants to remove major criminal cases from the chain of command altogether, setting the stage for a major fight in Congress over the military policy.

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