Rep. Zemke offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 233.

            A resolution to urge the United States Congress to adopt legislation to change the manner in which sexual assaults are reported and prosecuted within the military.

            Whereas, The United States continues to face an epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the military. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Defense on sexual assaults in the military shows that 14,900 service members were sexually assaulted in 2016. In addition, 58 percent of victims who reported assault experienced reprisal or retaliation for speaking out; and

            Whereas, These incidences are often unreported, as fewer than 15 percent of military sexual assaults are communicated to proper authorities. As a result, sexual assaults have a profound impact on individual morale and unit cohesion; and

            Whereas, Every sexual assault in the military must be reported to the victim's immediate supervisor, who then reports the assault up the chain of command. Because assailants may be of higher rank than their victims, many victims are forced to report their rapes to the rapist. Victims can never remain truly anonymous because of the current manner in which assaults are reported and handled. Therefore, anyone who reports an assault is open to revenge, threats, and punishment; and

            Whereas, The Military Justice Improvement Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate, would change the manner in which sexual assaults are prosecuted by the military creating a system in which the military's chain of command would no longer be the sole decision-making power over whether to move cases to trial or not. In addition, it would create a system that provides greater assurance and protection to victims; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the United States Congress to adopt legislation to change the manner in which sexual assaults are reported and prosecuted within the military; and be it further

             Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.