Sen. Katie Britt has introduced a bill in the Senate aimed at protecting cadets who report sexual harassment or assault at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
“Protecting survivors of sexual assault and ensuring a safe environment for all cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy to learn and train is paramount,” Britt said of the new bipartisan bill. Ta. “Congress has already made clear that there is no place for this type of reprehensible behavior on the campuses of our military or other military academies.
“It is critical that the same standards and protections are in place at the Coast Guard College so perpetrators can be held accountable and survivors can receive justice.”
Specifically, the “Maritime Safety School Safety Reporting Act” Requires the Coast Guard to implement a safe reporting policy to protect service members and cadets from punishment for minor violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice when reporting incidents of sexual abuse. The bill would align the Coast Guard with other military agencies that are already required to implement similar policies.
A companion bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), whose district includes the Coast Guard Academy. The House version of the bill, introduced last August, is the Coast Guard Safety Reporting Equality Act.
Austin Shipley is a staff writer at Yellowhammer News.
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