This bill aims to strengthen sexual assault and harassment protections within the Coast Guard and increase accountability for leadership. It was introduced following a 2023 revelation that the Coast Guard had buried findings from a decade-long investigation into sexual misconduct at the Coast Guard Academy without making reforms or informing Congress. The legislation requires the Coast Guard to submit annual reports to Congress on its implementation of reform actions through 2028, establishes an independent Government Accountability Office review of the Coast Guard's efforts to combat sexual assault and harassment, and mandates the service maintain investigation records for seven years. The bill also allows cadets who are victims of sexual assault to transfer to other service academies or ROTC programs within 72 hours, creates a "safe-to-report" policy that protects victims and witnesses from minor collateral misconduct charges, and enables the Coast Guard to directly hire specialists in violence prevention and criminal investigators focused on sexual misconduct cases. Additionally, it establishes higher-level review of cases where officers accused of sexual assault are recommended for retention and allows the military to downgrade discharge status for those convicted of sexual assault or harassment after leaving service.
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