H.Con.Res. 397: Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding sexual assaults and rape in the military.

110th Congress · introduced 2008-07-29 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2008-07-29 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Harman, Jane [D-CA-36] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding sexual assaults and rape in the military.

Plain summary

Calls for the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive strategy to increase and encourage investigation and prosecution of sexual assault and rape cases in the military. Sets forth elements to be included in such strategy, including: (1) requiring commanders to be held accountable for sexual assaults and rapes in their units and for disposition of such cases; (2) developing prevention and response programs to create a culture that prevents sexual assault and rape in the military and encourages more reporting by victims; (3) reviewing the capacity of the legal infrastructure in the military to investigate and prosecute effectively sexual assault cases; (4) examining any barriers on military facilities to conducting effective investigations of sexual assault and rape cases; and (5) ensuring that the command affords an alleged sexual assault victim an opportunity for a base transfer should a military protection order be issued.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding sexual assaults and rape in the military.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Harman, Jane [D-CA-36] · 38 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Michael R. Turner (R-OH), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110hconres397.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/hconres>

Record fed-us-cong110-hconres397 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110