Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/273625
By Donna Cassata The Associated Press WASHINGTON » The Senate on Thursday blocked a bill that would have stripped se- nior military commanders of their authority to prose- cute or prevent charges for alleged rapes and other se- rious offenses, capping an emotional, nearly yearlong fight over how to curb sex- ual assault in the ranks. The vote was 55-45, short of the 60 necessary to move ahead on the legislation sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. Defeated but unbowed, the senator re - ceived hugs from Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., after the vote. The Pentagon's leader - ship vigorously opposed the measure, arguing that officers should have more responsibility, not less, for the conduct of the men and women they lead. Proponents of the bill in - sisted that far-reaching changes in the Uniform Code of Military Justice are necessary to curb a scourge of rapes and sexual assaults. Under Gillibrand's proposal, the decision to take seri - ous crimes to courts-mar- tial would be given to mili- tary trial lawyers who have prosecutorial experience and would operate out of a newly established office indepen - dent of the chain of command. Gillibrand's effort bitterly divided the Senate in a bat- tle that smashed conven- tional lines on gender and political party. Conservative Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky backed her effort, while the chairman of the Armed Services Com - mittee, Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, op- posed the measure. Although the vote sent the bill back to the Senate calendar, it was unlikely to be the final word. Gillibrand was expected to pursue the issue this spring when the Armed Services Commit - tee begins work on a sweep- ing defense policy bill for the 2015 fiscal year. "The people who don't trust the chain of the com - mand are the victims," Gil- librand told her colleagues during the Senate debate. Proponents and oppo- nents of her bill stood on the Senate floor and passion- ately argued based on per- sonal experiences, growing frustration with what they dismissed as fixes around the edges and horrific sto - ries from the ranks. "The current system is failing the men and women in uniform," said one of the Sen - ate's newest members, John Walsh, D-Mont., who spent 33 years in the Montana Na- tional Guard and is the first Iraq War veteran in the body. "We have moved too slowly." Countering that argu - ment was Sen. Jack Reed, D- R.I., a West Point graduate who served in the 82nd Air- borne Division as an infan- try platoon leader and com- pany commander. Reed said stripping com- manders of the authority to discipline the troops would be "detrimental to the ef- fectiveness of the force and common goal to reduce sex- ual assault." The issue divided the Sen- ate's 20 female members. "How many more victims are required to suffer before we act?" asked Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a backer of Gillibrand's effort. "How many more lives must be ru - ined before we act?" Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., a vehement opponent of the bill and a former pros - ecutor, said more cases are going to trial over the ob- jections of prosecutors as commanders are deciding to press ahead with charges. The military has struggled in recent years with the sex - ual assault issue. The Penta- gon estimated that 26,000 members of the military may have been sexually assaulted in 2012, the most recent num - bers available, though thou- sands were afraid to come forward for fear of inaction or retribution. WASHINGTON Ch an ge s to military se x ca se s blocked Charles Dharapak — The assoCiaTeD press sen. Ted Cruz, r-Texas, center, talks with sen. kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. on Capitol hill in Washington on Thursday following a senate vote on military sexual assaults. By Allen G. Breed The Associated Press FORT BRAGG, N.C. » In his im- maculate blue dress uniform, Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sin- clair stood ramrod straight before a judge Thursday and pleaded guilty to three charges that could send him to prison for up to 15 years. It was a remarkable ad - mission sure to end the mil- itary career of a man once regarded as a rising star among the U.S. Army's small cadre of trusted battle com - manders. Sinclair, 51, still faces five other charges stemming from the claims of a female captain who says the general twice forced her to perform oral sex. But by pleading guilty to the lesser charges, Sinclair's lawyers believe they will strengthen his case at trial. The former deputy com - mander of the 82nd Airborne could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of the sex- ual assaults. Judge Col James Pohl ac- cepted Sinclair's plea after nearly three hours of de- tailed questions about the general's flirtations and dal- liances with four women. mIlITARy General admits guilt on 3 counts By Ken Thomas The Associated Press OXON HIll, mD. » Republi- cans vying for the GOP pres- idential nomination in 2016 auditioned Thursday before some of the nation's most ar- dent conservative leaders, calling for the party to unite behind a clear agenda and draw contrasts with Demo - crats. The contestants ranged from Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a tea party champion, to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a favorite of the GOP estab - lishment. "If you want to lose elec- tions, stand for nothing," said Cruz, who referred as examples to the unsuccess- ful presidential bids of Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney. "When you don't stand and draw a clear dis - tinction, when you don't stand for principle, Demo- crats celebrate." The annual Conserva- tive Political Action Confer- ence offered an early tryout of sorts for a half-dozen Re- publican officials eager to win over the GOP's most passion- ate voters. At stake this year is the Senate majority, cur- rently held by senators in President Barack Obama's party. But for all, the mid- term elections could serve as a springboard for the next presidential contest. Republicans have much to mend before 2016, start - ing with a stark ideological divide between the party's establishment and the su- per-conservatives who rose to power in the tea party-fu- eled 2010 elections that de- livered a Republican House majority. 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