Now that the 113th Congress is in session, the House Armed Services Committee will convene for the first time for an "Organizational Meeting" at 11:30 a.m. in Rayburn 2118. The main item on the agenda? Ratify the committee's rules.

Check out Politico to stay up-to-date on the latest.

Click here to watch the meeting live.

MEET THE COMMITTEE:

Be sure you know who the Members of the House Armed Services Committee are.  Welcome them to the new Congress and help us make sure they know that Military Sexual Assault is a key military issue – we need to stick together and make sure that rape is never again an “occupational hazard.”  

Join us and tweet to the Members of the House Armed Services Committee:

Republicans

• Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, Chairman, California
  
• Mac Thornberry, Vice Chairman, Texas
  
• Walter B. Jones, North Carolina
  
• J. Randy Forbes, Virginia
  
• Jeff Miller, Florida
  
• Joe Wilson, South Carolina
  
• Frank A. LoBiondo, New Jersey
  
• Rob Bishop, Utah
• Michael Turner, Ohio
  
• John Kline, Minnesota
  
• Mike Rogers, Alabama
  
• Trent Franks, Arizona
  
• Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania
  
• K. Michael Conaway, Texas
  
• Doug Lamborn, Colorado
  
• Rob Wittman, Virginia
  
• Duncan Hunter, California
  
• John C. Fleming, Louisiana
  
• Mike Coffman, Colorado
  
• Scott Rigell, Virginia
  
• Chris Gibson, New York
  
• Vicky Hartzler, Missouri
• Joe Heck, Nevada
  
• Jon Runyan, New Jersey
  
• Austin Scott, Georgia
  
• Steve Palazzo, Mississippi
  
• Martha Roby, Alabama
  
• Mo Brooks, Alabama
  
• Richard Nugent, Florida
• Kristi Noem, South Dakota
• Paul Cook, California
• Jim Bridenstine, Oklahoma
• Brad Wenstrup, Ohio
• Jackie Walorski, Indiana

Democrats

• Adam Smith, Ranking Member, Washington
  
• Loretta Sanchez, California
  
• Mike McIntyre, North Carolina
  
• Robert A. Brady, Pennsylvania
  
• Rob Andrews, New Jersey
  
• Susan A. Davis, California
  
• James R. Langevin, Rhode Island
  
• Rick Larsen, Washington
  
• Jim Cooper, Tennessee
  
• Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam
  
• Joe Courtney, Connecticut
  
• David Loebsack, Iowa
  
• Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts
• John Garamendi, California
• Hank Johnson, Georgia
  
• Colleen Hanabusa, Hawaii
  
• Jackie Speier, California
  
• Ron Barber, Arizona
• Andre Carson, Indiana
• Carol Shea Porter, New Hampshire
• Dan Maffei, New York
• Derek Kilmer, Washington
• Joaquin Castro, Texas
• Tammy Duckworth, Illinois
• Scott Peters, California
• Bill Enyart, Illinois
• Pete Gallego, Texas
• Marc Veasey, Texas

This article was originally posted by Elizabeth Flock at US News on January 11, 2013

A number of Washington politicos appear in the new documentary The Invisible War, which looks at sexual assault in the military and received an Oscar nomination Thursday. Reps. Chellie Pingree of Maine, Loretta Sanchez of California, and Louise Slaughter of New York—all Democrats—share their thoughts on the problem on screen.

But behind the scenes, another member of D.C.'s political community was responsible for making the film happen.

Nicole Boxer, the film's executive producer, is the daughter of Democrat Barbara Boxer, the junior senator from California, and the ex-wife of Tony Rodham, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's youngest brother. (When the two married in 1994, it was the first White House wedding since the 1970s.)

The younger Boxer has produced documentaries and TV shows for more than a decade, often political in nature, on issues ranging from climate change to immigration. In 2007, she produced 14 WOMEN, a film about the 109th Congress and its record number of female senators—which included her mother.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the elder Boxer told a crowd at the Beverly Hills Hotel in November that she supported her daughter's new film, and that it had "already begun to effect significant change" in policy on sexual assault in the military. In June, the Daily Beast reported the film had even inspired Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to announce "a slew of changes to how the military handles reports of sexual assaults."

Slate's Alyssa Rosenberg wrote Thursday that The Invisible War was the "one Oscar-nominated movie you must see."

The film was directed by Kirby Dick, likely known best in Washington for his 2009 film Outrage on the supposed hypocrisy of closeted gay politicians.

Read more: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/01/11/sen-barbara-boxers-daughter-behind-oscar-nominated-documentary-the-invisible-war

This article was originally posted by Alicia M. Cohn of The Hill on 01/10/13 01:42 PM ET

Several female Democrats were particularly interested in one Oscar contender announced on Thursday. 

The movie “The Invisible War” was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Documentary Feature, and Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.) took to Twitter to congratulate filmmakers on raising awareness on the subject of military rape.
 

Congrats to "The Invisible War" on #OscarsNoms. An important film on a topic I've been addressing for years. We must keep making progress.

— Louise Slaughter (@louiseslaughter) January 10, 2013

Congrats to @invisible_war on your @theacademy Oscar nomination! Well deserved, your moving film has focused nat’l spotlight on #MST

— Niki Tsongas (@nikiinthehouse) January 10, 2013

Military sexual trauma (MST) is the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) term used to refer to rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment that occurred during military service.

Female lawmakers have been particularly concerned with pressing the military to address the frequency of sexual violence in the military. Tsongas, along with Reps. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) and others, are interviewed in the film. The documentary points out that the number of rapes reported by military service members is twice that of the civilian population, and the number of incidents actually reported is likely around 10 percent of the total.

The film urges action to curb the high rate of sexual assault in the military and criticizes the military’s current attitude toward the problem.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/twitter-room/other-news/276561-female-lawmakers-applaud-oscar-nod-for-the-invisible-war#ixzz2HheiaOy7

This article was originally posted by PATRICK GAVIN of Politico on 1/10/13 10:10 PM EST

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/invisible-oscar-film-has-dc-footprint-86034.html#ixzz2Hgm8JF2Q

Just this morning we found out that The Invisible War has been nominated for an Oscar.  

As filmmakers we’re blown away, but most importantly we’re thrilled about what this means for the movement to end military sexual assault.  We’re in awe of every survivor who had the courage to defy the system and speak out, the members of Congress—those in our film and others on the Hill who have championed this issue—and the advocacy groups who have tirelessly pushed for action.

We’re honored that our film has been able to shine a light on this systemic issue – and is playing a role in transforming it.

It is a huge accomplishment to be listed next to other incredible films - you can view the full list of nominations here: http://oscar.go.com/nominees

With all ears and eyes on us right now, Washington is listening and we’ve got a chance to raise our voices and make sure that survivors of military sexual assault are never invisible again. 

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has decided to investigate military sexual assault in its annual enforcement report.

On Friday, Jan 11th, the USCCR is hosting a briefing in DC, featuring expert testimony on the issue.  But the Commission is also accepting written comments from the public, particularly current or former service members who have first-hand experience with the issue.  Join us in submitting statements and testimony that will officially be noted on the record. 

Public comments may be submitted until COB Monday, February 11, 2013 and may be sent by two ways: 

1. by mail to 1331 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 1150, Washington, D.C., 20425
2. emailed to publiccomments@usccr.gov

Want to share your thoughts with the community?  Tell us on Facebook!

Update: Click here to watch the videos of the hearing.

This article was originally posted on Reuters by Jim Forsyth

A congressional panel will hold a hearing as soon as this month on sexual abuse in the military, an aide to a key lawmaker said on Tuesday, as the sex-with-recruits scandal in the Air Force continued to expand.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard "Buck" McKeon, a California Republican, "has committed to having hearings on this issue, and the committee is working on putting that hearing together," said Claude Chafin, a spokesman for McKeon.

Chafin did not say when a hearing would take place, but Jenny Werwa, a spokeswoman for committee member Jackie Speier, a California Democrat who has pushed for such hearings, said it is likely to begin January 23 before the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.

On her show last night, Rachel Maddow discussed the debate around Chuck Hagel’s recent nomination to take over as Defense Secretary. Maddow cited Hagel’s voting record during his time as a Senator, when he repeatedly voted against measures that would expand access to abortions for female service members who were raped.

Maddow went on to discuss rape in the military more generally, and how the final Pentagon funding bill (NDAA FY 2013), which President Obama signed last week, provides services for sexual assault survivors—a “hard fought” policy change that Hagel, if confirmed, would be in charge of implementing and enforcing.

Watch the segment here and let us know what you think:

Today, President Obama nominated former Nebraska Senator and Vietnam War veteran Chuck Hagel for Defense Secretary.  If confirmed, Hagel would replace outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who has taken unprecedented action to combat military sexual assault over the last year—including requiring that each branch of the military overhaul training programs to improve sexual assault prevention and the investigation and prosecution of assault cases.  

During a press conference this afternoon, President Obama explained his choice by calling Hagel “the leader that our troops deserve” and a “champion of our troops,” as well as of veterans and military families.  If Hagel is going to live up to these labels, he must continue and expand upon Sec. Panetta’s work to combat military sexual assault—and he’s uniquely positioned to do so, considering that, if confirmed, he would be the first enlisted soldier to serve as Defense Secretary. 

No matter your politics, it can’t be denied that Sec. Panetta has taken some important first steps in ending rape in the military, particularly after seeing The Invisible War.  If confirmed, we must work together to make sure Sen. Hagel continues these efforts when he takes over at the Department of Defense. 

This piece was originally post on The Huffington Post:

According to the agency that aspiring Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wishes to lead, 19,000 of his future employees are raped by thousands of his other future employees every year. Forced to combat what they call an Invisible War, women (and some men) in the military find themselves at shocking risk for sexual assault by colleagues and the double bind of being charged as unfit for duty if they report sexual assaults.

As President Barack Obama's choice for Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel must immediately address this pressing issue.

My first suggestion to Hagel is that he see The Invisible War with military rape survivors, including those women and men profiled in this award-winning documentary that has exposed the epidemic and spurred calls to change antiquated Pentagon rules that blocked prosecutions and thwarted justice.