U.S. Senate leader backs big change for how military handles sexual assault

[May 19, 2021]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic leader of the U.S. Senate said on Tuesday he supported an effort to shift the way the military handles cases of sexual assault, and expressed hope the Senate would vote on the measure.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), with Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), speaks to reporters during the weekly news conference following the Democratic caucus policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. May 18, 2021. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

"I do support Senator (Kirsten) Gillibrand and Senator (Joni) Ernst's very good proposal on sexual harassment in the military," Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters.

"I would hope to put that on the floor."

After years of thwarted efforts to take prosecution of such cases out of the hands of commanders, legislation to make prosecution of military sexual assault cases the responsibility of independent prosecutors has been gaining support in Congress. [L1N2MM21P]

Gillibrand, a Democrat, has pushed for years for legislation to shift the way the military handles cases of sexual assault, citing the thousands of cases reported each year.

The Department of Defense said almost 21,000 service members were sexually assaulted in 2018, the last year for which figures are available, despite efforts to end sexual harassment and assault among the troops.

Ernst, a Republican and military veteran, said last month she decided to back Gillibrand's legislation after the Pentagon failed to improve the situation on its own.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Peter Cooney)

[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.