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President Joe Biden<\/a> signed an executive order<\/a> Wednesday altering the Uniform Code of Military Justice as it pertains to sexual misconduct<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sexual harassment will now be a violation under the UCMJ, and it also strengthens the military\u2019s response capabilities to domestic violence and the distribution of revenge pornography.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Biden-Harris administration thanks Congress for the bipartisan commitment to pass monumental reforms to our military justice system,\u201d White House press secretary Jen Psaki<\/a> told reporters Wednesday. \u201cWe also look forward to continuing to work with Congress to support the safety and dignity of our service members.\u201d<\/p>\n DEFENSE WATCHDOG WARNED AFGHAN AIR FORCE WOULD COLLAPSE WITHOUT US ASSISTANCE IN JANUARY 2021<\/a><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n The military branch reported 1,781 sexual harassment complaints during last year\u2019s fiscal calendar, according to a Pentagon<\/a> report<\/a> released last May. Of those, 984 were formal complaints, 765 informal, and 32 anonymous. Roughly a third of the cases involved revenge porn.<\/p>\n The move comes weeks after Congress passed legislation to change the military justice system through this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n Military commanders still retain their convening authority for certain crimes \u2014 sexual assault, rape, murder, and domestic violence \u2014 though it will also empower an independent \u201cspecial victim prosecutor.\u201d<\/p>\n Advocates and activists, who have called for changes for years, sought to have that power stripped from commanders.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Back in June, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin<\/a> announced his support for removing this power from military commanders, though not everyone at the Pentagon was sold.<\/p>\n \u201cI fully support removing the prosecution of sexual assaults and related crimes from the military chain of command,\u201d Austin told lawmakers<\/a>. \u201cThe department will likely need new authorities to implement many of the IRC recommendations, and we will most assuredly require additional resources, both in personnel and in funding.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n