Senate Panel Greenlights Military Justice Reform Bill After Years-long Push

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/22/ [login to see] /senate-panel-greenlights-military-justice-reform-bill-after-years-long-push
The Senate Armed Services Committee approved a sweeping legislative package to reform the way the military prosecutes serious crimes, handing the lawmaker leading the years-long effort a major victory.

Behind closed doors, the panel incorporated New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's measure as part of the annual defense bill, also known as the National Defense Authorization Act or NDAA.

For weeks this summer, Gillibrand openly sparred on the Senate floor with her Democratic colleague, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed of Rhode Island, to gain approval for her measure. By late Wednesday, the two had issued a joint statement hailing a new agreement.

"We are proud to announce the committee has put forth a strong bill that makes historic changes to the military justice system and combats the scourge of military sexual assault," Gillibrand and Reed said Wednesday night after a daylong Armed Services committee meeting. "We look forward to working together to bring this bill to the Senate floor and making the NDAA law."