Gillibrand Statement On Passage Of Military Justice Reform Bill In Senate Armed Services Subcommittee

Addressing the passage of the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (MJIIPA) in the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the chair of the Personnel Subcommittee, issued the following statement:

“I am proud and deeply grateful that the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (MJIIPA) passed today as an amendment to the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act. This is an important step forward for this much-needed legislation, which would deliver true justice to our service members by moving the decision of whether to prosecute sexual assault and other serious non-military crimes out of the chain of command and giving it to trained, professional military prosecutors. This reform is supported by a bipartisan group of sixty-six senators, including the majority of the Senate Armed Services Committee, along with veterans, survivors, and legal experts – any attempt to remove it in full committee will be vigorously opposed. We owe it to our service members to provide a military justice system worthy of their sacrifice.”

Gillibrand offered the MJIIPA as an amendment during today’s Personnel Subcommittee markup of the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act. The amendment passed 5-1, with Senators Hawley (R-MO), Hirono (D-HI), Tuberville (R-AL), and Warren (D-MA) joining Gillibrand. The Personnel Subcommittee markup language will now be included in the full markup of the NDAA.