WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.V.) passed the Senate, mandating that sexual harassment training will be mandatory for senators, staff and interns of the Senate.
The legislation is cosponsored by Rules Committee members Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Angus King (I-Maine), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).
“Sexual harassment has no place in our society, in the workplace, and certainly not in the United States Senate,” Senator Capito said. “Whether an elected official or staff, anyone working in Congress has a responsibility to set an example for others and create nothing less than an appropriate and respectful work environment. That’s exactly why we introduced this bipartisan resolution, and I’m glad our colleagues came together so quickly to show their support and pass it.”
The training would need to be completed within 60 days from the date of passage of the legislation, and repeated no less than once each Congress. The legislation also includes anti-harassment training for protected categories such as race, disability, religion, national origin and military service. Each employing office in the Senate would be required to submit a certification of completed training, which would be published on the public website of the Secretary of the Senate.
The full text of the bipartisan legislation is available here.
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