VICTIMS' ADVOCATES PROGRAMS IN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

SEC. 534. [10 U.S.C. 113 note] VICTIMS' ADVOCATES PROGRAMS IN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (a) Establishment.—(1) The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall revise policies and regulations of the Department of Defense with respect to the programs of the Department of Defense specified in paragraph (2) in order to establish within each of the military departments a victims' advocates program. (2) Programs referred to in paragraph (1) are the following: (A) Victim and witness assistance programs. (B) Family advocacy programs. (C) Equal opportunity programs. (3) In the case of the Department of the Navy, separate victims' advocates programs shall be established for the Navy and the Marine Corps. (b) Purpose.—A victims' advocates program established pursuant to subsection (a) shall provide assistance described in subsection (d) to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents who are victims of any of the following: (1) Crime. (2) Intrafamilial sexual, physical, or emotional abuse. (3) Discrimination or harassment based on race, gender, ethnic background, national origin, or religion. (c) Interdisciplinary Councils.—(1) The Secretary of Defense shall establish a Department of Defense council to coordinate and oversee the implementation of programs under subsection (a). The membership of the council shall be selected from members of the Armed Forces and officers and employees of the Department of Defense having expertise or experience in a variety of disciplines and professions in order to ensure representation of the full range of services and expertise that will be needed in implementing those programs. (2) The Secretary of each military department shall establish similar interdisciplinary councils within that military department as appropriate to ensure the fullest coordination and effectiveness of the victims' advocates program of that military department. To the extent practicable, such a council shall be established at each significant military installation. (d) Assistance.—(1) Under a victims' advocates program established under subsection (a), individuals working in the program shall principally serve the interests of a victim by initiating action to provide (A) information on available benefits and services, (B) assistance in obtaining those benefits and services, and (C) other appropriate assistance. (2) Services under such a program in the case of an individual who is a victim of family violence (including intrafamilial sexual, physical, and emotional abuse) shall be provided principally through the family advocacy programs of the military departments. (e) Staffing.—The Secretary of Defense shall provide for the assignment of personnel (military or civilian) on a full-time basis to victims' advocates programs established pursuant to subsection (a). The Secretary shall ensure that sufficient numbers of such full-time personnel are assigned to those programs to enable those programs to be carried out effectively. (f) Implementation Deadline.—Subsection (a) shall be carried out not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act. (g) Implementation Report.—Not later than 30 days after the date on which Department of Defense policies and regulations are revised pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the implementation (and plans for implementation) of this section.