Pentagon Opposed Anti-Rape Bill

The Pentagon opposed an amendment granting court access to employees who sue the defense contracts for rape.

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pentagon opposed an amendment granting court access to employees who sue the defense contracts for rape.

The White House, however, told the Huffington Post that it supported the amendment’s “intent.”

The amendment to the 2010 defense appropriation’s bill passed the Senate with 30 Republicans in opposition.

The GOP Senators generally claimed that Congress ought not interfer with how private companies negotiate their employees’ contracts.

The Department of Defense told the White House prior to the bill’s passing that its subcontractors “may not be in a position to know about such things” and cited “problematic” enforcement as an issue.

The Pentagon added, “It may be more effective to seek a statutory prohibition of all such arrangements in any business transaction entered into within the jurisdiction of the United States, if these arrangements are deemed to pose an unacceptable method of recourse.”

Freshman Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) submitted the bill after a 19-year-old KBR employee was allegedly gang-raped by her coworkers and temporarily imprisoned for threatening to speak out.

Upon return from Iraq, Jamie Leigh Jones was prevented from suing KBR because of a contract clause mandating that the problem be settled out of court.