[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2137 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2137

To prohibit the issuance of a waiver for commissioning or enlistment in 
   the Armed Forces for any individual convicted of a felony sexual 
                                offense.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 28, 2012

  Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit the issuance of a waiver for commissioning or enlistment in 
   the Armed Forces for any individual convicted of a felony sexual 
                                offense.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON WAIVER FOR COMMISSIONING OR ENLISTMENT IN THE 
              ARMED FORCES FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL CONVICTED OF A FELONY 
              SEXUAL OFFENSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) In fiscal year 2011 alone, 3,191 incidents of sexual 
        assault--including rape--were reported in the military.
            (2) In fiscal year 2010, an additional 3,158 such incidents 
        were reported.
            (3) According to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, these 
        figures may significantly underestimate the actual number of 
        sexual assaults.
            (4) According to Secretary Panetta, the actual number of 
        sexual assaults may be closer to 19,000 annually.
            (5) According to the Army, the number of violent sexual 
        assaults committed by members of the Army rose by 90 percent 
        between 2006 and 2011.
            (6) According to Secretary Panetta, the men and women of 
        the Armed Forces ``are willing to fight and die to protect and 
        serve our country--they deserve better protection. Their 
        families and dependents also sacrifice and serve. And so for 
        this reason, we must spare no effort to protect them against 
        this heinous crime. . . . One sexual assault is one too 
        many.''.
            (7) Every effort must be made to bring the epidemic of 
        sexual assaults within the Armed Forces to an end.
    (b) Prohibition.--An individual may not be provided a waiver for 
commissioning or enlistment in the Armed Forces if the individual has 
been convicted under Federal or State law of a felony offense of any of 
the following:
            (1) Rape.
            (2) Sexual abuse.
            (3) Sexual assault.
            (4) Incest.
            (5) Any other sexual offense.
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