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Establishing the Special Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces to conduct oversight, ensure accountability, and report on the activities of the Department of Defense to prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims’ services for cases of sexual assault and abuse in the Armed Forces.

H. Res. 213 · 113th Congress · May 14, 2013 · Lineage

RESOLUTION

Section 1 Establishment

There is hereby established the Special Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces (hereinafter referred to as the “Special Committee”) to conduct oversight, ensure accountability, and report on the activities of the Department of Defense to prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims’ services for cases of sexual assault and abuse in the Armed Forces.

Sec. 2 Composition

(a)
Membership— The Special Committee shall be composed of 19 members as follows:
(1)
Six members appointed by the Speaker.
(2)
Five members appointed by the Minority Leader.
(3)
The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services (or a designee from among the members of that committee).
(4)
The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations (or a designee from among the members of that committee).
(5)
The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary (or a designee from among the members of that committee).
(6)
The chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (or a designee from among the members of that committee).
(b)
Designation of Chair and Ranking Minority Member— The Speaker shall designate one member of the Special Committee to serve as its chair and the minority leader shall designate one member of the Special Committee to serve as its ranking minority member.

Sec. 3 Jurisdiction; report

(a)
Investigations— The Special Committee shall have jurisdiction and oversight responsibility to conduct investigations into issues related to sexual assault and abuse in the Department of Defense, including the following:
(1)
Prevention.
(2)
Reported and unreported incidents of sexual assault and abuse perpetrated by members of the Armed Forces and employees of the Department of Defense.
(3)
Prosecution.
(4)
Victim services and care.
(5)
All other related issues.
(b)
Report— Not later than 120 days after its initial meeting, the Special Committee shall submit to the House a report on its investigations under this section.

Sec. 4 Powers and Procedures

Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives shall apply with respect to the Special Committee.

Sec. 5 Staff; funding

(a)
Staff—
(1)
To the extent practicable, the Special Committee shall utilize the services of staff of employing entities of the House. At the request of the chair in consultation with the ranking minority member, staff of employing entities of the House may be detailed to the Special Committee to carry out this resolution, and shall be deemed to be staff of the Special Committee.
(2)
The chair, upon consultation with the ranking minority member, may employ and fix the compensation of such staff as the chair considers necessary to carry out this resolution.
(b)
Funding— There are authorized to be appropriated from the applicable accounts of the House such sums as may be necessary to carry out this resolution. Payments for the expenses of the Special Committee shall be made on vouchers signed by the chair and approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House Administration. Amounts made available under this subsection shall be expended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration.

Sec. 6 Termination; Disposition of records

(a)
Termination— The Special Committee shall terminate on the last day of the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress.
(b)
Records— Upon termination of the Special Committee, the records of the Committee shall become the records of any committee designated by the Speaker.