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Senate backs bill to eliminate ‘good soldier’ defence to combat sexual assault in military

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would make big changes in the military justice system to deal with sexual assault.

The vote was 97-0 on Monday. The measure would scrap the nearly century-old practice of using a “good soldier defence” to raise doubts that a crime has been committed.

The bipartisan bill was written by three female senators — Democrat Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Republicans Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Deb Fischer of Nebraska.

It would impose a half-dozen changes as Congress tries to combat the pervasive problem of rape and sexual offences that Pentagon leaders have likened to a cancer within the ranks.

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