WASHINGTON — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, welcomed recent U.S. Coast Guard guidance that any nondisclosure agreements, including those signed by sexual assault victims, must allow information to be shared with Congress and other official investigators.
Cruz said last month he had uncovered nondisclosure agreements that barred “victims, subjects, and witnesses” from speaking about investigations into the handling of sexual assault allegations.
That runs contrary to laws that prohibit such agreements from restricting communication with Congress, Cruz wrote in a letter to Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the Coast Guard, denouncing the practice and demanding answers.
Cruz is the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Coast Guard.
He said during a committee hearing Tuesday that his letter produced results.
“I also want to thank the Coast Guard for quickly addressing the serious problem my office uncovered: the Coast Guard's use of illegal nondisclosure agreements, including with victims of sexual assault,” Cruz said. “Within a day of my letter alerting the commandant to the issue, the Coast Guard ended this indefensible practice.”
The Coast Guard did not respond to an emailed request for comment Tuesday.
Adm. Steven Poulin, vice commandant of the Coast Guard, sent a servicewide official message on April 18 to clarify the “purpose and effect” of nondisclosure agreements and policies surrounding them.
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