A vote in the Senate on Senator Gillibrand's Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA) as a stand-alone bill will happen, and it could be as early as next week. 53 Senators publicly support the bill, but we need 60 for a filibuster-proof majority! The President has yet to take a public stand in support of the MJIA, and we need his outspoken leadership to help the bill pass!
The MJIA creates an independent, objective and non-biased military justice system worthy of the men and women in uniform. We all know that prosecuting sexual assault and domestic violence requires specialized training, and the MJIA would ensure that prosecutors have expertise in these crimes. This is about safety for every soldier. This is about military readiness. This is about justice for the survivor who wears the uniform. The NTF also supports Senator McCaskill's legislative proposal to empower survivors and many of the policy provisions that passed in the FY 2014 National Defense Reauthorization Act. But without the MJIA, survivors of military sexual assault will not have the protections they truly need.
Action 1: Call and tweet the Senators below.
Phone message: "I am urging you to vote yes on the bipartisan Military Justice Improvement Act sponsored by Senator Gillibrand. Advocates and enlisted troops need and want you to pass this legislation to ensure survivors are protected."
Sample tweet: @Sen___ Survivors deserve specialized prosecutors & protection from retaliation. Support the MJIA! #MJIA #PassMJIA #EndMilitaryRape.
Baucus, Max - (D - MT) (202) 224-2651 Twitter: @MaxBaucus
Whitehouse, Sheldon - (D - RI) (202) 224-2921 Twitter: @SenWhitehouse
Barrasso, John - (R – WY) (202) 224-6441 Twitter: @SenJohnBarrasso
Coburn, Tom - (R – OK) (202) 224-5754 Twitter: @TomCoburn
Cochran, Thad - (R – MS) (202) 224-5054 Twitter: @SenThadCochran
Hatch, Orrin G. - (R – UT) (202) 224-5251 Twitter: @SenOrrinHatch
Johnson, Ron - (R – WI) (202) 224-5323 Twitter: @SenRonJohnson
Lee, Mike - (R - UT) (202) 224-5444 Twitter: @SenMikeLee
McConnell, Mitch - (R – KY) (202) 224-2541 Twitter: @McConnellPress
Moran, Jerry - (R - KS) (202) 224-6521 Twitter: @JerryMoran
Rubio, Marco - (R – FL) (202) 224-3041 Twitter: @marcorubio
Toomey, Patrick J. - (R – PA) (202) 224-4254 Twitter: @SenToomey
Warner, Mark - (D-VA) (202) 224-2023 Twitter: @MarkWarner
Action 2: Send your tweets to the President asking him to support the MJIA.
Sample tweets:
@BarackObama I urge you to publicly support the Military Justice Improvement Act! Survivors needs your leadership now! #PassMJIA
@WhiteHouse Survivors deserve specialized prosecutors and protection from retaliation. We need you to support the MJIA today! #EndMilitaryRape