,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aejj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #af1 #bjai
 ,ms4 ,ernst 7for herself and ,ms4      
,sinema7 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 improve and enhance   
protections for members of the ,armed   
,forces who are victims of a sex-related
 or domestic violence offense1 and for  
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,military      
,special ,victims ,protection ,act of   
#bjai4  #b4 ,enactment and expansion of 
policy on withholding of initial        
disposition authority for certain       
offenses under the ,uniform ,code of    
,military ,justice  7a7 ,initial        
disposition authority  7#a7 ,in general 
,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71  
the proper authority for a determination
 of disposition of reported offenses    
with respect to any offense specified in

 subsection 7b7 shall be an officer in a
 grade not below the grade of ,o-#f in  
the chain of command of the subject who 
is authorized by chapter #dg of such    
title 7the ,uniform ,code of ,military  
,justice7 to convene special            
courts-martial4  7#b7 ,authority when   
subject and victim are in different     
chains of command ,if the victim of an  
offense specified in subsection 7b7 is  
in a different chain of command than the
 subject1 the proper authority under    
paragraph 7#a7 shall be an officer      
described in that paragraph in the chain
 of command of the victim4  7#c7        
,construction ,nothing in this          
subsection shall be construed--  7,a7 to
 prohibit the preferral of charges by an
 authorized person under section        
#hcj7;a77#a7 of title #aj1 ,united      
,states ,code 7article #cj7;a77#a7 of   
the ,uniform code of ,military          
,justice71 with respect to the offenses 
specified in subsection 7b71 and the    
forwarding of such charges as so        

preferred to the proper authority under 
paragraph 7#a7 with a recommendation as 
disposition2 or  7,b7 to prohibit an    
officer in a grade below the grade of   
,o-#f from advising an officer described
 in paragraph 7#a7 who is making a      
determination described in that         
paragraph with respect to the           
disposition of the offenses involved4   
7b7 ,covered offenses ,an offense       
specified in this subsection is any     
offense as follows3 7#a7 ,an offense    
under section #hic of title #aj1 ,united
 ,states ,code 7article #ic of the      
,uniform ,code of ,military ,justice71  
relating to cruelty and maltreatment1 if
 the offense constitutes sexual         
harassment4  7#b7 ,an offense under     
section #hic;a of title #aj1 ,united    
,states ,code 7article #ic;a of the     
,uniform ,code of ,military ,justice71  
relating to prohibited activity with a  
military recruit or trainee by a person 
in a position of special trust4  7#c7   
,an offense under section #iah of title 

#aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article #aah
 of the ,uniform ,code of ,military     
,justice71 relating to murder1 if the   
offense is committed in connection with 
family abuse or other domestic violence4
  7#d7 ,an offense under section #iai of
 title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code       
7article #aai of the ,uniform ,code of  
,military ,justice71 relating to        
manslaughter1 if the offense is         
committed in connection with family     
abuse or other domestic violence4  7#e7 
,an offense under section #iai;a of     
title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code        
7article #aai;a of the ,uniform ,code of
 ,military ,justice71 relating to death 
or injury of an unborn child1 if the    
offense is committed in connection with 
family abuse or other domestic violence4
  7#f7 ,an offense under section #iai;b 
of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code     
7article #aai;b of the ,uniform ,code of
 ,military ,justice71 relating to child 
endangerment1 if the offense is         
committed in connection with family     

abuse or other domestic violence4  7#g7 
,an offense under section #ibj of title 
#aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article #abj
 of the ,uniform ,code of ,military     
,justice71 relating to rape and sexual  
assault generally4  7#h7 ,an offense    
under section #ibj;b of title #aj1      
,united ,states ,code 7article #abj;b of
 the ,uniform ,code of ,military        
,justice71 relating to rape and sexual  
assault of a child4  7#i7 ,an offense   
under section #ibj;c of title #aj1      
,united ,states ,code 7article #abj;c of
 the ,uniform ,code of ,military        
,justice71 relating to other sexual     
misconduct4  7#aj7 ,an offense under    
section #ibe of title #aj1 ,united      
,states ,code 7article #abe of the      
,uniform ,code of ,military ,justice71  
relating to kidnapping1 if the offense  
is committed in connection with family  
abuse or other domestic violence4  7#aa7
 ,an offense under section #ibh of title
 #aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article    
#abh of the ,uniform ,code of ,military 

,justice71 relating to aggravated       
assault1 if the offense is committed in 
connection with family abuse or other   
domestic violence4  7#ab7 ,an offense   
under section #ibh;a of title #aj1      
,united ,states ,code 7article #abh;a of
 the ,uniform ,code of ,military        
,justice71 relating to maiming1 if the  
offense is committed in connection with 
family abuse or other domestic violence4
  7#ac7 ,an offense under section #ibh;b
 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code    
7article #abh;b of the ,uniform ,code of
 ,military ,justice71 relating to       
domestic violence4  7#ad7 ,an offense   
under section #icj of title #aj1 ,united
 ,states ,code 7article #acj of the     
,uniform ,code of ,military ,justice71  
relating to stalking1 if the offense is 
committed in connection with family     
abuse or other domestic violence4  7#ae7
 ,an offense under section #icb of title
 #aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article    
#acb of the ,uniform ,code of ,military 
,justice71 relating to retaliation4     

7#af7 ,an offense under section #icd of 
title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code        
7article #acd of the ,uniform ,code of  
,military ,justice71 if the offense     
relates to child pornography4  7#ag7 ,an
 offense under section #icd of title    
#aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article #acd
 of the ,uniform ,code of ,military     
,justice71 if the offense--  7,a7       
relates to animal abuse2 and  7,b7 is   
committed in connection with family     
abuse or other domestic violence4  7#ah7
 ,an offense under section #icd of title
 #aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article    
#acd of the ,uniform ,code of ,military 
,justice71 if the offense-- 7,a7 relates
 to negligent homicide2 and  7,b7 is    
committed in connection with family     
abuse or other domestic violence4  7#ai7
 ,an attempt to commit an offense       
specified in a paragraph 7#a7 through   
7#ah7 as punishable under section #hhj  
of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code     
7article #hj of the ,uniform ,code of   
,military ,justice74  7c7 ,scope of     

disposition authority with respect to   
particular offenses ,the authority in   
subsection 7a7 of an officer to make a  
disposition determination described in  
that subsection with respect to any     
offense specified in subsection 7b7     
extends to a determination of           
disposition with respect to any of the  
following3 7#a7 ,any other offenses     
against the subject arising out of the  
incident in which the offense is alleged
 to have occurred4  7#b7 ,any reported  
offenses in connection with misconduct  
of the victim1 arising out of such      
incident4  7d7 ,scope of disposition    
determinations ,except for an offense   
specified in section #hah7;c7 of title  
#aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article     
#ah7;c7 of the ,uniform ,code of        
,military ,justice71 of which only      
general courts-martial have             
jurisdiction1 the disposition           
determinations permissible in the       
exercise of the authority under this    
section with respect to charges and     

specifications are as follows3  7#a7 ,no
 action4  7#b7 ,administrative action4  
7#c7 ,imposition of non-judicial        
punishment4  7#d7 ,preferral of charges4
  7#e7 ,if such charges and             
specifications were preferred from a    
subordinate1 referral to court-martial  
for trial4  7#f7 ,forwarding to a       
superior or subordinate authority for   
further disposition4  7e7 ,review of    
certain disposition determinations  7#a7
 ,initial review and recommendation ,if 
a disposition determination under this  
section with respect to an offense is   
for a disposition specified in paragraph
 7#a71 7#b71 or 7#c7 of subsection 7d7  
and the legal advisor to the officer    
making the disposition determination has
 recommended a disposition specified in 
paragraph 7#d71 7#e71 or 7#f7 of that   
subsection1 a ,special ,victim          
,prosecutor 7,,svp71 ,senior ,trial     
,counsel 7,,stc71 or ,regional ,trial   
,counsel 7,,rtc7 not in the chain of    
command of the officer making the       

disposition determination shall-- 7,a7  
review the disposition determination2   
and  7,b7 recommend to the staff judge  
advocate in the chain of command whether
 to endorse or supersede the disposition
 determination4  7#b7 ,,sja review and  
advice ,upon completion of a review of a
 recommendation under paragraph         
7#a77;,b71 the staff judge advocate     
concerned shall advise the next superior
 commander in the chain of command of   
the officer making the original         
disposition determination whether such  
disposition determination should be     
endorsed or superseded4  7#c7 ,final    
disposition determination ,after        
considering advice under paragraph 7#b7 
with respect to an original disposition 
determination1 the superior commander   
concerned shall-- 7,a7 make a new       
disposition determination with respect  
to the offenses concerned2 or  7,b7     
endorse the original disposition        
determination for appropriate further   
action4  7f7 ,training  7#a7 ,in general

 ,the training provided to commissioned 
officers of the ,armed ,forces in grades
 ,o-#f and above on the exercise of     
authority pursuant to this section for  
determinations of the disposition of an 
offense specified in subsection 7b7     
shall include specific training on such 
matters in connection with sexual       
harassment1 sexual assault1 and family  
abuse and domestic violence as the      
,secretary of ,defense considers        
appropriate to make informed disposition
 determinations under such authority4   
7#b7 ,construction ,nothing in this     
subsection shall be construed to deprive
 a court-martial of jurisdiction based  
on the level or amount of training      
received by the disposition authority   
pursuant to this section4  7g7 ,manual  
for ,courts-,martial ,the ,president    
shall implement the requirement of this 
section into the ,manual for            
,courts-,martial in accordance with     
section #hcf of title #aj1 ,united      
,states ,code 7article #cf of the       

,uniform ,code of ,military ,justice74  
#c4 ,special ,victims' ,counsel matters 
7a7 ,expansion of covered offenses ,to  
include alleged domestic violence       
offenses  7#a7 ,in general ,section     
#ajdd;e of title #aj1 ,united ,states   
,code1 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking    
alleged sex-related offense each place  
it appears and inserting alleged covered
 offense2 and  7,b7 by striking         
subsection 7g7 and inserting the        
following new subsection 7g73  7g7      
,definitions ,in this section3  7#a7    
,the term alleged covered offense means 
any of the following3 7,a7 ,an alleged  
sex-related offense4  7,b7 ,an alleged  
domestic violence offense4  7#b7 ,the   
term alleged sex-related offense means  
any allegation of--  7,a7 a violation of
 section #ibj1 #ibj;b1 #ibj;c1 or #icj  
of this title 7article #abj1 #abj;b1    
#abj;c1 or #acj of the ,uniform ,code of
 ,military ,justice72 or  7,b7 an       
attempt to commit an offense specified  
in a subparagraph 7,a7 as punishable    

under section #hhj of this title        
7article #hj of the ,uniform ,code of   
,military ,justice74  7#c7 ,the term    
alleged domestic violence offense means 
any allegation of-- 7,a7 a violation of 
section #ibh7;b71 #ibh;b7#a71           
#ibh;b7#e71 or #icj of this title       
7article #abh7;b71 #abh;b7#a71          
#abh;b7#e71 or #acj of the ,uniform     
,code of ,military ,justice71 when      
committed against a spouse1 intimate    
partner1 or immediate family member2    
7,b7 a violation of any other provision 
of subchapter ,x of chapter #dg of this 
title 7the ,uniform ,code of ,military  
,justice71 when committed against a     
spouse1 intimate partner1 or immediate  
family member1 as specified by the      
,secretary concerned for purposes of    
eligibility for legal consultation and  
assistance by ,special ,victims'        
,counsel under the jurisdiction of such 
,secretary under this section2 or  7,c7 
an attempt to commit an offense         
specified in a subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b7

 as punishable under section #hhj of    
this title 7article #hj of the ,uniform 
,code of ,military ,justice74  4  7#b7  
,conforming and clerical amendments     
7,a7 ,heading amendment ,the heading of 
such section is amended to read as      
follows3  #ajdd;e4 ,special ,victims'   
,counsel3 victims of sex-related        
offenses2 victims of domestic violence  
offenses  4  7,b7 ,table of sections the
 table of sections at the beginning of  
chapter #ec of such title is amended by 
striking the item relating to section   
#ajdd;e and inserting the following new 
item3  #ajdd;e4 ,special ,victims'      
,counsel3 victims of sex-related        
offenses2 victims of domestic violence  
offenses4  4  7b7 ,expansion of         
eligibility to all civilian victims of  
alleged covered offenses ,subsection    
7a77#b7 of section #ajdd;e of such      
title1 as amended by subsection 7a77#a7 
of this section1 is further amended by  
striking subparagraph 7,c7 and inserting
 the following new subparagraph 7,c73   

7,c7 ,any civilian individual not       
covered by subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b7 who
 is the victim of an alleged covered    
offense if the ,secretary of ,defense or
 the ,secretary of the military         
department concerned waives any         
condition in such section for the       
purposes of offering ,special ,victims' 
,counsel services to such individual4  4
  7c7 ,enhancement of legal consultation
 and assistance in connection with      
potential victim benefits ,paragraph    
7#h77;,d7 of subsection 7b7 of such     
section is amended by striking and other
 and inserting 1 section #adjh7;h7 of   
this title1 and other4  7d7 ,expansion  
of legal assistance authorized ,to      
include consultation and assistance for 
retaliation ,subsection 7b7 of such     
section is amended further--  7#a7 by   
redesignating paragraph 7#aj7 as        
paragraph 7#aa72 and  7#b7 by inserting 
after paragraph 7#i7 the following new  
paragraph 7#aj73  7#aj7 ,legal          
consultation and assistance in          

connection with an incident of          
retaliation1 whether such incident      
occurs before1 during1 or after the     
conclusion of any criminal proceedings1 
including-- 7,a7 in understanding the   
rights and protections afforded to      
victims of retaliation2  7,b7 in the    
filing of complaints2 and  7,c7 in any  
resulting military justice proceedings4 
4  7e7 ,codification of duty ,to        
determine victim's preference for       
prosecution of alleged offense by       
court-,martial or civilian court  7#a7  
,in general ,such section is further    
amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating         
subsections 7d7 through 7h7 as          
subsections 7e7 through 7i71            
respectively2 and  7,b7 by inserting    
after subsection 7c7 the following new  
subsection 7d73  7d7 ,duty ,to determine
 victim's preference for prosecution of 
an alleged covered offense by           
court-,martial or civilian court  7#a7  
,in providing legal consultation and    
representation to a victim under this   

section in connection with an alleged   
covered offense that occurs in the      
,united ,states1 a ,special ,victims'   
,counsel shall have the duty--  7,a7 to 
solicit the victim's preference         
regarding whether the offense should be 
prosecuted by court-martial or in a     
civilian court with jurisdiction over   
the offense2 and  7,b7 to make the      
victim's preference1 if offered1 known  
to appropriate military prosecutors4    
7#b7 ,any consultation by a ,special    
,victims' ,counsel pursuant to paragraph
 7#a7 shall occur in accordance with the
 process for such consultation          
established pursuant to section #ecd7;b7
 of the ,carl ,levin and ,howard ,p4    
,buck ,mc,keon ,national ,defense       
,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year   
#bjae 7#aj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajdd;e note7 or   
such other process as the ,secretary of 
,defense shall establish for that       
purpose4  4  7#b7 ,conforming amendment 
,paragraph 7#aa7 of subsection 7b7 of   
such section1 as redesignated by        

subsection 7d77#a7 of this section1 is  
amended by striking subsection 7h7 and  
inserting subsection 7i74  7f7          
,personnel and training  7#a7 ,personnel
 ,commencing ,october #a1 #bjai1 each   
,secretary concerned shall establish and
 maintain such additional military and  
civilian billets for legal counsel and  
paralegals as such ,secretary considers 
appropriate in order to ensure that each
 ,armed ,force under the jurisdiction of
 such ,secretary is appropriately       
staffed to provide legal counsel and    
assistance required under section       
#ajdd;e of title #aj1 ,united ,states   
,code1 by reason of the amendments made 
by this section by not later than       
,september #cj1 #bjbe4  7#b7 ,training  
,each ,secretary concerned shall provide
 military and civilian legal personnel  
under the jurisdiction of such          
,secretary such training as the         
,secretary considers appropriate for the
 provision of legal counsel and         
assistance required under section       

#ajdd;e of title #aj1 ,united ,states   
,code1 by reason of the amendments made 
by this section4 ,to the extent         
practicable1 the training provided      
pursuant to this paragraph shall be     
uniform across the ,armed ,forces4  7#c7
 ,consultation ,each ,secretary         
concerned shall consult with the ,judge 
,advocate ,general concerned regarding  
the additional number of billets        
required pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 and 
the training to be provided pursuant to 
paragraph 7#b74  7#d7 ,reports ,not     
later than #ahj days after the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 each        
,secretary concerned shall submit to the
 congressional defense committees a     
report setting forth the plan of such   
,secretary to modify the ,special       
,victims' ,counsel program under the    
jurisdiction of such ,secretary in order
 to meet the requirement in paragraph   
7#a7 by the deadline specified in that  
paragraph4 ,each report shall set forth1
 for the ,special ,victims' ,counsel    

program concerned1 the number of        
additional military billets and         
additional civilian billets the         
,secretary concerned requires to        
establish and maintain under paragraph  
7#a7 in order to meet the requirement in
 that paragraph by the deadline         
specified in that paragraph4  7#e7      
,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7  
,the term ,secretary concerned has the  
meaning given that term in section      
#aja7;a77#i7 of title #aj1 ,united      
,states ,code4  7,b7 ,the term ,judge   
,advocate ,general has the meaning given
 that term in section #hja7a7 of title  
#aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7article     
#a7a7 of the ,uniform ,code of ,military
 ,justice74  #d4 ,correction of military
 records and discharge review for       
certain former members whose narrative  
reason for discharge was wrongfully     
described as personality disorder  7a7  
,correction of military records ,section
 #aeeb of title #aj1 ,united ,states    
,code1 is amended--  7#a7 by            

redesignating subsections 7i7 and 7j7 as
 subsections 7j7 and 7k71 respectively2 
and  7#b7 by inserting after subsection 
7h7 the following new subsection 7i73   
7i7  7#a7 ,this subsection applies to a 
former member of the ,armed ,forces who 
is a military sexual trauma survivor and
 suffers from post-traumatic stress     
disorder or traumatic brain injury and  
whose claim under this section is for   
review of the narrative reason for      
discharge of the former member as       
personality disorder1 borderline        
personal disorder1 or a related         
non-disability mental condition         
7,,ndmc74  7#b7 ,a claimant under this  
subsection shall support the claim with 
documentation or other evidence from a  
psychiatrist1 psychologist1 or other    
competent health care professional that 
the claimant does not have the disorder 
providing the narrative reason for the  
claimant's discharge4  7#c7 ,in the case
 of a claimant described in paragraph   
7#a71 a board established under         

subsection 7a7 shall-- 7,a7 review and  
give liberal consideration to the       
documentation or evidence of the        
claimant under paragraph 7#b72 and  7,b7
 if the board determines that the       
claimant does not have the disorder1    
correct the military records of the     
claimant to provide a narrative reason  
for the claimant's discharge as         
,secretarial ,authority 7or similar     
authority available at the time of the  
claimant's discharge if before the      
recognition of ,secretarial ,authority7 
or such other narrative reason 7other   
than the disorder7 as the board         
considers appropriate4  4  7b7          
,discharge review ,section #aeec of such
 title is amended--  7#a7 by            
redesignating subsection 7f7 as         
subsection 7g72 and  7#b7 by inserting  
after subsection 7e7 the following new  
subsection 7f73  7f7 ,in the case of a  
former member of the ,armed ,forces who 
is a military sexual trauma survivor and
 suffers from post-traumatic stress     

disorder or traumatic brain injury and  
whose narrative reason for discharge or 
dismissal was personality disorder1     
borderline personality disorder1 or a   
related non-disability mental condition 
7,,ndmc7 and who submits to a board     
established under this section          
documentation or other evidence from a  
psychiatrist1 psychologist1 or other    
competent health care professional that 
the former member does not have the     
disorder providing the narrative reason 
for the former member's discharge or    
dismissal1 the board shall-- 7#a7 review
 and give liberal consideration to the  
documentation or evidence submitted by  
the former member2 and  7#b7 if the     
board determines that the former member 
does not have the disorder1 change the  
narrative reason for the former member's
 discharge or dismissal to ,secretarial 
,authority or such other narrative      
reason 7other than the disorder7 as the 
board considers appropriate4  4  7c7    
,reports  7#a7 ,in general ,not later   

than #bgj days after the date of the    
enactment of this ,act1 and annually    
thereafter for the next four years1 each
 ,secretary concerned shall submit to   
,congress a report on the activities of 
boards for the correction of military   
records under subsection 7i7 of section 
#aeeb of title #aj1 ,united ,states     
,code 7as amended by subsection 7a7 of  
this section71 and of discharge review  
boards under subsection 7f7 of section  
#aeec of title #aj1 ,united ,states     
,code 7as amended by subsection 7b7 of  
this section71 under the jurisdiction of
 such ,secretary during the one-year    
period ending on the date of such       
report4 ,each report shall include the  
following3  7,a7 ,for the period covered
 by such report3 7i7 ,the number of     
claims submitted under such subsection  
7i7 to boards for the correction of     
military records under the jurisdiction 
of such ,secretary1 and the number of   
claims for which relief was granted4    
7ii7 ,the number of claims submitted    

under such subsection 7f7 to discharge  
review boards under the jurisdiction of 
such ,secretary1 and the number of      
claims for which relief was granted4    
7,b7 ,such recommendations for          
administrative action or legislative    
action in connection with the activities
 of such boards under such subsections  
7i7 and 7f7 as such ,secretary considers
 appropriate4  7#b7 ,secretary concerned
 defined ,in this subsection1 the term  
,secretary concerned has the meaning    
given that term in section #aja7;a77#i7 
of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code4    
#e4 ,inclusion of intimate partner      
violence among supporting rationales for
 certain claims for corrections of      
military records and discharge review   
7a7 ,correction of military records     
,section #aeeb7;h77#a7 of title #aj1    
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
striking or military sexual trauma and  
inserting 1 military sexual trauma1 or  
intimate partner violence4  7b7         
,discharge review ,section              

#aeec7;d77#c77;,b7 of such title is     
amended by striking or military sexual  
trauma and inserting 1 military sexual  
trauma1 or intimate partner violence4   
#f4 ,training of members of boards for  
correction of military records and      
discharge review boards on military     
sexual trauma1 intimate partner         
violence1 and related matters  7a7      
,boards for correction of military      
records ,the curriculum of training for 
members of boards for the correction of 
military records under section #ecd7;c7 
of the ,national ,defense ,authorization
 ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjag 7#aj      
,u4,s4,c4 #aeeb note7 shall include     
training on each of the following3  7#a7
 ,military sexual trauma4  7#b7         
,intimate partner violence4  7#c7 ,the  
various responses of individuals to     
trauma4  7b7 ,discharge review boards   
7#a7 ,in general ,each ,secretary       
concerned shall develop and provide     
training for members of discharge review
 boards under section #aeec of title    

#aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 that are    
under the jurisdiction of such          
,secretary on each of the following3    
7,a7 ,military sexual trauma4  7,b7     
,intimate partner violence4  7,c7 ,the  
various responses of individuals to     
trauma4  7#b7 ,uniformity of training   
,the ,secretary of ,defense and the     
,secretary of ,homeland ,security shall 
jointly ensure that the training        
developed and provided pursuant to this 
subsection is1 to the extent            
practicable1 uniform4  7#c7 ,secretary  
concerned defined ,in this subsection1  
the term ,secretary concerned has the   
meaning given that term in section      
#aja7;a77#i7 of title #aj1 ,united      
,states ,code4  #g4 ,report on          
establishment of guardian ad litem      
program for certain military dependents 
who are victim or witness of offenses   
under the ,uniform ,code of ,military   
,justice involving abuse or exploitation
  7a7 ,report required  7#a7 ,in general
 ,not later than one year after the date

 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary of ,defense shall submit to  
the ,committees on ,armed ,services of  
the ,senate and the ,house of           
,representatives a report setting forth 
an assessment of the feasibility and    
advisability of establishing a guardian 
ad litem program for military dependents
 described in paragraph 7#b7 who are a  
victim or witness of an offense under   
chapter #dg of title #aj1 ,united       
,states ,code 7the ,uniform ,code of    
,military ,justice71 that involves an   
element of abuse or exploitation in     
order to protect the best interests of  
such dependents in a court-martial of   
such offense4  7#b7 ,covered dependents 
,the military dependents described in   
this paragraph are as follows3 7,a7     
,military dependents under #ab years of 
age4  7,b7 ,military dependents who lack
 mental or other capacity4  7b7         
,elements ,the report required by       
subsection 7a7 shall include the        
following3  7#a7 ,an assessment of the  

feasibility and advisability of         
establishing a guardian ad litem program
 as described in subsection 7a74  7#b7  
,if establishment of the guardian ad    
litem program is considered feasible and
 advisable1 the following3  7,a7 ,a     
description of administrative           
requirements in connection with the     
program1 including the following3 7i7   
,any memoranda of understanding between 
the ,department of ,defense and ,state  
and local authorities required for      
purposes of the program4  7ii7 ,the     
personnel1 funding1 and other resources 
required for purposes of the program4   
7,b7 ,best practices for the program 7as
 determined in consultation with        
appropriate civilian experts on child   
advocacy74  7,c7 ,such recommendations  
for legislative and administration      
action to implement the program as the  
,secretary considers appropriate4