Rep. Zemke offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 203.  

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

            Whereas, The United States is facing an epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the military. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that there were 26,000 incidences of sexual assault in 2012; and

            Whereas, These incidences are often unreported, with fewer than 15 percent of military sexual assaults 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. The 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 Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention (STOP) Act (H.R. 1593) would take the reporting, oversight, investigation, and victim care out of the hands of the normal chain of command and place jurisdiction in the hands of an autonomous oversight and response office. This office would be comprised of civilian and military experts; 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 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.