Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) “has long projected optimism in her long-shot crusade to overhaul the military’s system for addressing sexual assault. But optimism can’t change a whip count, and now the New York Democrat is conceding that the initial vote on her bill is unlikely to be successful,” Defense One reports.

“Gillibrand said she still expects her bill—which would remove from the chain of command the decision of whether to prosecute sexual assaults and other serious crimes—will hit the floor in the first half of February.”

“But prospects of victory are looking increasingly slim.”