DEFENSE TASK FORCE ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE AT THE MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES.

SEC. 526. DEFENSE TASK FORCE ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE AT THE MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES.(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish a Department of Defense task force to examine matters relating to sexual harassment and violence at the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy.(b) Recommendations.—Not later than 12 months after the date on which all members of the task force have been appointed, the task force shall submit to the Secretary of Defense a report recommending ways by which the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army and the Department of the Navy may more effectively address matters relating to sexual harassment and violence at the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy, respectively. The report shall include an assessment of, and recommendations (including any recommended changes in law) for measures to improve, with respect to sexual harassment and violence at those academies, the following:(1) Victims’ safety programs.(2) Offender accountability.(3) Effective prevention of sexual harassment and violence.(4) Collaboration among military organizations with responsibility or jurisdiction with respect to sexual harassment and violence.(5) Coordination between military and civilian communities, including local support organizations, with respect to sexual harassment and violence.(6) Coordination between military and civilian communities, including civilian law enforcement relating to acts of sexual harassment and violence.(7) Data collection and case management and tracking.(8) Curricula and training, including standard training programs for cadets at the United States Military Academy and midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy and for permanent personnel assigned to those academies.(9) Responses to sexual harassment and violence at those academies, including standard guidelines.(10) Other issues identified by the task force relating to sexual harassment and violence at those academies.(c) Methodology.—The task force shall consider the findings and recommendations of previous reviews and investigations of sexual harassment and violence conducted for those academies as one of the bases for its assessment.(d) Report.—(1) The task force shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the Army and the Navy a report on the activities of the task force and on the activities of the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy to respond to sexual harassment and violence at those academies.(2) The report shall include the following:(A) Any barriers to implementation of improvements as a result of those efforts.(B) Other areas of concern not previously addressed in prior reports.(C) The findings and conclusions of the task force.(D) Any recommendations for changes to policy and law as the task force considers appropriate, including whether cases of sexual assault at those academies should be included in 117 STAT. 1467 the Department of Defense database known as the Defense Incident-Based Reporting System.(3) Within 90 days after receipt of the report under paragraph (1) the Secretary of Defense shall submit the report, together with the Secretary’s evaluation of the report, to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives.(e) Report on Air Force Academy.—Simultaneously with the submission of the report under subsection (d)(3), the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Air Force, shall submit to the committees specified in that subsection the Secretary’s assessment of the effectiveness of corrective actions being taken at the United States Air Force Academy as a result of various investigations conducted at that Academy into matters involving sexual assault and harassment.(f) Composition.—(1) The task force shall consist of not more than 14 members, to be appointed by the Secretary of Defense. Members shall be appointed from each of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and shall include an equal number of personnel of the Department of Defense (military and civilian) and persons from outside the Department of Defense. Members appointed from outside the Department of Defense may be appointed from other Federal departments and agencies, from State and local agencies, or from the private sector.(2) The Secretary shall ensure that the membership of the task force appointed from the Department of Defense includes at least one judge advocate.(3) In appointing members to the task force, the Secretary may—(A) consult with the Attorney General regarding a representative from the Office of Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice; and(B) consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding a representative from the Women’s Health office of the Department of Health and Human Services.(4) Each member of the task force appointed from outside the Department of Defense shall be an individual who has demonstrated expertise in the area of sexual harassment and violence or shall be appointed from one of the following:(A) A representative from the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education.(B) A representative from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health and Human Services.(C) A sexual assault policy and advocacy organization.(D) A civilian law enforcement agency.(E) A judicial policy organization.(F) A national crime victim policy organization.(5) The members of the task force shall be appointed not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.(g) Co-Chairs of the Task Force.—There shall be two co-chairs of the task force. One of the co-chairs shall be designated by the Secretary of the Defense at the time of appointment from among the Department of Defense personnel on the task force. The other co-chair shall be selected from among the members appointed from outside the Department of Defense by those members.117 STAT. 1468(h) Administrative Support.—(1) Each member of the task force who is a member of the Armed Forces or a civilian officer or employee of the United States shall serve without compensation (other than compensation to which entitled as a member of the Armed Forces or an officer or employee of the United States, as the case may be). Other members of the task force shall be appointed in accordance with, and subject to, section 3161 of title 5, United States Code.(2) The Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, under the direction of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall provide oversight of the task force. The Washington Headquarters Services of the Department of Defense shall provide the task force with personnel, facilities, and other administrative support as necessary for the performance of the task force’s duties.(3) The Deputy Under Secretary shall coordinate with the Secretary of the Army to provide visits of the task force to the United States Military Academy and with the Secretary of the Navy to provide visits of the task force to the United States Naval Academy.(i) Termination.—The task force shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the report of the task force is submitted to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives pursuant to subsection (d)(3).