,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cgcf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #aj1 
#bjah,mr4 ,flake introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on the      
,judiciary  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend ,rule  
#faa of the ,federal ,rules of ,evidence
 to prohibit cross-examination by the   
accused of minor victims of sexual      
assault4  #a4 ,cross-,examination of    
victims by the accused  7a7 ,in general 
,rule #faa of the ,federal ,rules of    
,evidence is amended by adding at the   
end the following3  7d7                 
,cross-,examination by pro se defendants
 of minor victims of sexual assault ,in 
a criminal case in which a defendant    
accused of sexual assault of a minor    
represents himself or herself pro se1   
upon application by the prosecutor1 the 
minor1 or the minor's representative1   
cross-examination of the minor--  7#a7  
shall not be conducted by the defendant 
unless the court finds that it is       

necessitated by exceptional             
circumstances to protect the            
constitutional rights of the defendant2 
and  7#b7 shall instead be conducted by 
an attorney for the defendant under the 
supervision of the court4  7e7          
,definitions ,in this rule--  7#a7 the  
term minor means an individual under the
 age of #ah2  7#b7 the term sexual      
assault of a minor means a crime under  
,federal law involving--  7,a7 any      
conduct-- 7i7 prohibited under section  
#aeia or chapter #aji;,a1 #aaj1 or #aag 
of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code2 or 
7ii7 described in paragraphs 7#b7       
through 7#e7 of ,rule #dac7;d72 and     
7,b7 a victim who is a minor2 and  7#c7 
the term victim means a person directly 
and proximately harmed as a result of   
the commission of an offense4  4  7b7   
,effective date ,the amendment made by  
subsection 7a7 shall apply--  7#a7 to   
any proceeding commenced on or after the
 date of enactment of this ,act2 and    
7#b7 insofar as is just and practicable1

 to any proceeding pending on such date 
of enactment4