Sec. 553. Collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice in efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assault
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Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General shall jointly develop a strategic framework for ongoing collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice in their efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assault. The framework shall be based on and include the following: An assessment of the role of the Department of Justice in investigations and prosecutions of sexual assault cases in which the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice have concurrent jurisdiction, with the assessment to include a review of and list of recommended revisions to relevant Memoranda of Understanding and related documents between the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense.
An assessment of the need for, and if a need exists the feasibility of, establishing the position of advisor on military sexual assaults within the Department of Justice (using existing Department resources and personnel) to assist in the activities required under paragraph
(1)and provide to the Department of Defense investigative and other assistance in sexual assault cases occurring on domestic and overseas military installations over which the Department of Defense has primary jurisdiction, with the assessment to address the necessity and feasibility of maintaining representatives or designees of the advisor at military installations for the purpose of reviewing cases of sexual assault and providing assistance with the investigation and prosecution of sexual assaults. An assessment of the number of sexual assault cases that have occurred on military installations in which no perpetrator has been identified, and a plan, with appropriate benchmarks, to review those cases using currently available civilian and military law enforcement resources, such as new technology and forensics information. A strategy to leverage efforts by the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice— to improve the quality of investigations, prosecutions, specialized training, services to victims, awareness, and prevention regarding sexual assault; and to identify and address social conditions that relate to sexual assault. Mechanisms to promote sharing of information and best practices between the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice on prevention and response to sexual assault, including victim assistance through the Violence against Women Act and Office for Victims of Crime programs of the Department of Justice. The Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the framework required by subsection (a). The report shall— describe the manner in which the Department of Defense and Department of Justice will collaborate on an ongoing basis under the framework; explain obstacles to implementing the framework; and identify changes in laws necessary to achieve the purpose of this section. In this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.