	Introduction

Beginning the summer 2013 through 2016, there were numerous reports in the media on sexual assault incidents in the U.S. armed services. In many cases, such reports were followed by questions on what actions were taken by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Obama Administration, and Congress to address the issue. This report lists a comprehensive chronology of official activities in response to incidents of military sexual assault, as well as legislative action on the issue. Also included is a resources section with related articles, hearings, and reports. Information in this report was compiled from the official government websites of DOD, the Obama White House and Congress.gov for historical background and will not be updated. See the section "Resources" for a list of congressional hearings, reports and other documents. The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel approved the personnel issues as part of H.R. Subtitle D—Military Justice, Including Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention and Response addressed the following: modification of DOD policy on retention of evidence in a sexual assault cases to permit return of personal property upon completion of related proceedings; requirements relating to Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner; analysis and assessment of disposition of most serious offenses; a plan for limited use of certain information on sexual assaults in restricted reports by military criminal investigative organizations; the establishment of a Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces; confidential review of the terms of discharge of sexual assault survivors; deadline for submission of report containing results of review of Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity role in sexual harassment cases; and applied Title XVII of the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2014 ( P.L. 1735 , the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, was introduced in the House. "Lawmakers Act Fast with New Legislation on Military Sexual Assault." 21, 2013.
This report focuses on previous activity in Congress regarding high profile incidents of sexual assault in the military during the summer 2013 through 2016. Included are separate sections on the official responses related to these incidents by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Obama Administration, and Congress including legislation during the 113th (2013-2014) Congress and 114th Congress (2015-2016). The last section is a resource guide for sources in this report and related materials on sexual assault and prevention during this period. This report will not be updated and supersedes CRS Report R43168, Military Sexual Assault: Chronology of Activity in Congress and Related Resources.
For current information regarding Congress and issues on sexual assault in the military, see CRS Report R44944, Military Sexual Assault: A Framework for Congressional Oversight, by Kristy N. Kamarck and Barbara Salazar Torreon. For legislative initiatives in the 115th Congress, see CRS Report R44923, FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues, by Kristy N. Kamarck, Lawrence Kapp, and Barbara Salazar Torreon and CRS Report R45343, FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues, by Bryce H. P. Mendez et al.