In August 2013, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended that the Secretary of Defense direct a "comprehensive and holistic review" of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to ensure that the military justice system "most effectively and efficiently does justice consistent with due process and good order and discipline." In October 2013, the Secretary of Defense approved the recommendation and directed the General Counsel of the Department of Defense to conduct a comprehensive review of the UCMJ and the military justice system with support from experts provided by the military Services.

  • SecDef Memorandum - Comprehensive Review of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (October 18, 2013)     View: Adobe PDF

The DoD General Counsel established the Military Justice Review Group (MJRG) to carry out the comprehensive review.

  • Press Release, April 16, 2014     View: Adobe PDF

The MJRG completed a detailed review of the UCMJ, which was reviewed within the Department of Defense and the Executive Branch and submitted to Congress in December 2015.

 
  • Report of the Military Justice Review Group Part I: UCMJ Recommendations (December 22, 2015)     View: Adobe PDF
  • Press Release (December 28, 2015)     View: Adobe PDF
  • Press Release - Summary of Major Legislative Proposals (December 28, 2015)     View: Adobe PDF

The House of Representatives and the Senate each incorporated substantial portions of the MJRG recommendations in its version of the Military Justice Act of 2016, as included in each House’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 and as set forth in in the NDAA FY 2017 conference report, as adopted by both Houses.

  • House Bill (H.R. 4909) as passed in the House (May 18, 2016) (printed as passed and placed on the Senate Calendar, May 26, 2016)     View: Adobe PDF
  • House Report 114-537 (parts 1 and 2) (May 4, 2016; May 12, 2016)
  • Senate Bill (S. 2943) passed in the Senate (June 14, 2016) (printed as passed, June 21, 2016)     View: Adobe PDF
  • Senate Report 114-255 (May 18, 2016)     View: Adobe PDF
  • Conference Report - House Report 114-840, Nov. 30, 2016     View: Adobe PDF

The Military Justice Act of 2016 was enacted into law on December 23, 2016 as Division E of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Public Law No. 114-328.

  • Public Law No. 114-328     View: Adobe PDF

The responsibility for drafting regulations implementing the Military Justice Act of 2016 for consideration by the President is vested in the Joint Service Committee on Military Justice.

The Joint Service Committee published proposed regulations for public comment on July 11, 2017 . See https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOD-2017-OS-0032-0001. A public meeting will be held on August 3, 2017, from 10 a.m. until noon, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces building, 450 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20442-0001. Commentators will be heard in order of arrival and check-in, and will be limited to five minutes. Further information on how to submit comments on the proposed regulations is contained in the Federal Register notice.

A summary of the background and development of the Military Justice Act of 2016 was presented at the 2017 Continuing Legal Education and Training Program of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces on March 9, 2017.   View: Adobe PDF.