DaytonDailyNews.com

WASHINGTON — In a room just off the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mary Lauterbach got access to a parade of lawmakers that would have made the most well-experienced lobbyist green with envy.

Lauterbach, though, didn't have the deep coffers of a well-funded political action committee. Instead, she just had the story of her 20-year-old daughter Maria, a Marine whose body was found in January buried in the backyard of the Marine colleague she'd accused of raping her.

That man, Cesar Laurean, was apprehended earlier this month in Mexico and has been charged with Maria Lauterbach's murder. Now Mary Lauterbach wants to see if Congress can help better protect women in the military who report that they've been raped.

Mary Lauterbach said it took the Marines several days to file a report after Maria came forward, and said no one believed Maria was in danger even though she was punched in the face and her car was vandalized after she reported being raped.

"There needs to be a fundamental change in military culture that gives greater urgency to the crime of sexual assault," she said.

Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, who arranged the meetings with 19 other lawmakers, helped shepherd Lauterbach around Capitol Hill on Wednesday, April 23. Among the lawmakers she met: Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., who in a recent Los Angeles Times editorial urged congressional hearings on the issue; former Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee member Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif.

Turner has scheduled a press conference for today to call for a Defense Department review of how the Marines handled Maria Lauterbach's rape accusations.

Mary Lauterbach's message resonated with Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., who said the military must examine how it handles sexual assault.

"This is something every member of Congress should be concerned about," she said.

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