CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently joined Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) to reintroduce the bipartisan, bicameral Campus Accountability and Safety Act (CASA) to combat sexual assault on college campuses. The measure seeks to protect students by providing them with additional resources and strengthening colleges’ accountability and transparency standards.

“We must do all we can to prevent sexual assault on our college campuses, and make certain our students have access to all available resources and our universities remain accountable,” Senator Capito said. “The Campus Accountability and Safety Act cements standards that strengthen the response to sexual assault crimes, bolster protections for survivors, and ensure transparency throughout the process. I’m proud to join my colleagues and reintroduce this legislation on behalf of our students in West Virginia.”

Specifically, CASA would:

  • Increase transparency and reporting required under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act;
  • Create a campus safety website that would give students information on each institution’s Title IX coordinator and similar officials, along with instructions on how to file a complaint and include relevant data reported by institutions;
  • Establish new campus resources and support services for survivors of campus sexual assault, including coordinators to provide information and coordinate support services;
  • Establish a uniform process to adjudicate sexual assault cases and ensure on-campus personnel receive proper training; and
  • Create a competitive grant program, funded through fines established by CASA, to address and prevent sexual violence on college campuses.

Senator Capito has been a consistent advocate for the Campus Accountability and Safety Act’s passage in the 114th, 115th, and 116th sessions of Congress. Senator Capito has also joined previous efforts to push for justice and accountability in military assault cases through bipartisan Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act, which she co-sponsored.

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