WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after joining as an original cosponsor of the Military Justice Improvement and Prevention Act, legislation that would take much-needed steps to tackle sexual assault in the military:

“Today, too many service members are raped and sexually assaulted by their colleagues in the military. This remains a heartbreaking reality despite the millions of dollars appropriated by Congress and more than 100 reform provisions implemented by Congress over the past two decades. Frankly, none of those measures have been enough to reduce sexual assault in the military, to protect victims, or to increase accountability for perpetrators. With too many of these measures falling short, today I am announcing my cosponsorship of the Military Justice Improvement and Prevention Act. We now need fundamental change to tackle this epidemic, especially after the brutal murder of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen. Senator Gillibrand’s bill takes significant steps to change how the military prosecutes serious crimes such as rape and provides new tools to help stem the tide of sexual assault within the ranks. While this bill is not a cure-all solution, we must take bold steps to establish justice and accountability for victims of sexual assault.”

 ###