WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has agreed to bring the "I am Vanessa Guillén" Act to the House floor for a vote, according to Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA).
On Wednesday, Speir, the Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, and Congressman Markwayen Mullin (R-OK), along with co-leads Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), John Carter (R-TX), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Pete Olson (R-TX), Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-TX), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Jason Crow (D-CO), and Will Hurd (R-TX), and 94 additional co-sponsors, introduced bill in honor of Spc. Vanessa Guillén and the "many survivors of military sexual violence who have bravely come forward in the wake of her disappearance and brutal murder."
The legislation would make sexual harassment a crime within the Uniform Code of Military Justice and move prosecution decisions of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases out of the chain of command.
Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate Wednesday.
Following a meeting with the Guillén family, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a commitment to hold a House floor vote on the I am Vanessa Guillén Act.
Chair Speier is also leading a congressional delegation this weekend to Fort Hood to further investigate matters at the base and speak with service members at all levels about their experiences.
Chair Speier says the the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act would:
- Move prosecution decisions on sexual assault and sexual harassment cases outside of the chain of command to an Office of the Chief Prosecutor within each military service;
- Create a standalone military offense for sexual harassment;
- Establish trained sexual harassment investigators who are outside of the chain of command of the complainant and the accused;
- Create a confidential reporting process for sexual harassment that is integrated with DoD’s Catch a Serial Offender database;
- Require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the military’s procedures for finding missing servicemembers and compare with procedures used by civilian law enforcement and best practices;
- Require both DoD and GAO to conduct separate evaluations of the military services’ Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) programs; and
- Establish a process by which servicemembers can make claims for negligence and seek compensatory damages against DoD in the case of sexual assault or sexual harassment.
“Military leadership has repeatedly failed to reduce sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violent crime at Fort Hood, one of the worst sites for attacks according to Army officials, and throughout the armed forces,” Chair Speier said. “The endless cycle of harassment, assault, and retaliation for those who speak out reveals the deep roots of a toxic culture we must eradicate so that survivors are taken seriously and treated with respect, and assailants are held accountable. The I Am Vanessa Guillén Act would do this by providing survivors independent investigations for both sexual harassment and sexual assault reports and independent charging decisions for courts-martial. It would also make sexual harassment a criminal offense in the military, helping get to the core of an issue that too often leads to violence and destroys careers, and lives. The Guillén family and legions of former and current servicemembers are demanding bold change. Congress must seize this moment and deliver on that demand for change by passing the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act.”
“The issue of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue – it’s an American issue,” Congressman Mullin said. “We must strengthen the military’s ability to protect its most important resource, which is the people who willingly sign-up to protect all Americans. The I Am Vanessa Guillén Act will also encourage survivors to come forward to report sexual assaults and sexual harassment and to provide justice. This is about protecting our men and women in uniform and I will keep fighting so no family has to go through what the Guillén family has gone through.”
“From the moment I started working with the Guillén family in May, I made it clear I would not stop until we found Vanessa and got justice in her name,” Congresswoman Garcia said. “The I Am Vanessa Guillén Act of 2020 is a transformative and comprehensive bill that will help save lives and give our soldiers an avenue to report sexual assault and harassment without fear – a lasting legacy in honor of Vanessa. I want the Guillén family to know that Congress, the Houston region, and the entire world stands with you and we won’t stop until we get justice for Vanessa.”
“First and foremost, my heart goes out to the Guillén family, no one should ever have to experience the pain they’ve experienced,” Congressman Carter said. “The men and women that selflessly serve our nation deserve to feel safe to report misconduct and feel confident that their issues will be fairly handled. There is absolutely no place for sexual misconduct in the United States military and we must take these steps to ensure that accountability is realized.”
“The unspeakable tragedy of Specialist Vanessa Guillén’s murder has shed new light and revealed to the American public the epidemic of unchecked sexual harassment and assault that too many service members have suffered,” Congresswoman Escobar said. “Specialist Guillén – and all servicemembers – deserve respect and justice, and it’s our obligation to protect those who bravely put their lives on the line for our country. We can’t continue the same approaches that have failed victims. Congress must respond to this moment of reckoning with new solutions to tackle this epidemic and pass the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act.”
“The tragedy that befell PFC Vanessa Guillén was horrific and reflects a growing problem in our Armed Forces. Our military members should never fear harassment or violence while defending our nation,” Congressman Olson said. “As a Navy veteran, I’m proud to support the I am Vanessa Guillen Act, which is an important step towards getting justice for PFC Guillén and other service members like her. It ensures there is a stand-alone military offense for sexual harassment and requires the GAO to review how our military processes missing service members in cases of suspected foul play compared to civilian law enforcement. By working together and demanding accountability, we can prevent the next tragedy. Our military must maintain higher standards and we will not be silent on this issue.”
“Year after year, we see an increase in reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment in our military and the same statements from military leadership about how unacceptable they are. It’s far past time we take bold action to bring accountability to the system and give survivors support,” Congressman Cisneros said. “In the memory of Specialist Vanessa Guillén, Republicans and Democrats are coming together to make legislative fixes to protect our men and women in uniform. I'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan I am Vanessa Guillén Act to provide the necessary support and resources for survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment in our military. Our servicemembers and military families deserve to have the peace of mind that they'll be heard and treated with dignity and respect.”
“Ohio is home to thousands of active duty servicemembers who risk their lives for our nation, and in return, it’s our country’s obligation to ensure their safety,” Congressman Balderson said. “In honor of Vanessa Guillén, this legislation will take important steps to ensure survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment in our military can tell their stories without retribution and seek the justice they deserve.”
“As a soldier, I remember going to basic training to learn everything from marksmanship to the chain of command. The military is supposed to train new recruits on the essential tasks of the job, but we still don’t do nearly enough to address sexual assault in the ranks. We need to make sure we are creating a system and culture of accountability in the military to protect our women and men in uniform. For too long, sexual assault and violence has gone unaddressed,” Congressman Crow said. “The military failed Vanessa Guillén but I refuse to let Congress fail her or her family. It is Congress that decides what kind of military we have and now it is Congress’ responsibility to step up and pass the I AM Vanessa Guillén to protect our women and men in uniform.”
“We must work to ensure what happened to Vanessa Guillén never happens again,” Congressman Hurd said. “The I Am Vanessa Guillén Act of 2020 will protect soldiers like Vanessa by ensuring independent investigations occur in assault and harassment cases. This will better safeguard our soldiers from retaliation and help prevent these atrocious acts from ever happening in the first place.”
“Vanessa Guillén’s story makes painfully clear the need for a better response to sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military,” Senator Hirono said. The I Am Vanessa Guillén Act knocks down barriers to reporting sexual harassment and sexual assault and directly addresses the culture that protects the perpetrators of these crimes. It’s time to make a system that respects and protects survivors.”
I Am Vanessa Guillén Act fact sheet:
I Am Vanessa Guillén Act text:
The 103 cosponsors the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act are: Reps. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), John Carter (R-TX), Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Pete Olson (R-TX), Anthony Brown (D-MD), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Debra Haaland (D-NM), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Annie Kuster (D-NH), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Max Rose (D-NY), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Kendra S. Horn (D-OK), Kathy Castor (D-FL), André Carson (D-IN), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), Abigail D. Spanberger (D-VA), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), John B. Larson (D-CT), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Chuy García (D-IL), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Jim Cooper (D-TN), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Charlie Crist (D-FL), Anthony Brindisi (D-NY), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Alma Adams (D-NC), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), TJ Cox (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), David Trone (D-MD), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Susan Wild (D-PA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Denny Heck (D-WA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA).
