,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ech  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #ab1 #bjac   
,mrs4 ,mc,caskill introduced the        
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,armed   
,services  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title   
#aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 to modify   
the authorities and responsibilities of 
convening authorities in taking actions 
on the findings and sentences of        
courts-martial4  #a4 ,modification of   
authorities and responsibilities of     
convening authorities in taking actions 
on the findings and sentences of        
courts-martial  7a7 ,inclusion of       
written justification for certain       
actions on sentences ,paragraph 7#b7 of 
section #hfj7;c7 of title #aj1 ,united  
,states ,code 7article #fj7;c7 of the   
,uniform ,code of ,military ,justice71  
is amended by adding at the end the     
following new sentence3 ,in taking such 
an action 7other than an action to      
approve a sentence71 the convening      

authority or other person taking such   
action shall prepare a written          
justification of such action1 which     
written justification shall be made a   
part of the record of the               
court-martial44  7b7 ,prohibition on    
dismissal of finding or change to       
finding of guilty of lesser included    
offense ,such section 7such article7 is 
further amended--  7#a7 in paragraph    
7#c71 by striking the second sentence2  
and  7#b7 by adding at the end the      
following new paragraph3  7#d7 ,if a    
convening authority or other person acts
 on the findings of a court-martial1 the
 convening authority or other person may
 not--  7,a7 dismiss any charge or      
specification by setting aside a finding
 of guilty thereto2 or  7,b7 change a   
finding of guilty to a charge or        
specification to a finding of guilty to 
an offense that is a lesser included    
offense of the offense stated in the    
charge or specification4  4  7c7        
,effective date ,the amendments made by 

this section shall take effect on the   
date of the enactment of this ,act1 and 
shall apply with respect to findings and
 sentences of courts-martial reported to
 convening authorities under section    
#hfj of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code
 7article #fj of the ,uniform ,code of  
,military ,justice71 as so amended1 on  
or after that date4