US House Rep Tulsi Gabbard's office issued the following earlier today:
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Pushes Legislation to Immediately End Taxpayer-Funded Harassment Settlements, Overhaul Broken Harassment Policies
November 22, 2017
Press Release
Honolulu, HI—Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) today called on Congress to pass the Member and Employee Training and Oversight On (ME TOO) Congress Act
(H.R.4396), a bipartisan, comprehensive bill she co-sponsored to
prevent sexual harassment in Congress, and provide a fair, transparent
path to justice for victims. Recent reports indicate U.S. taxpayers have paid more than $17 million to victims in 268 Congressional settlements—including
sexual harassment, discrimination, and other cases—over the last two
decades. This legislation ensures that the names of offending Members of
Congress are released, and that they are held personally financially
responsible for their behavior. The bill would prohibit non-disclosure
agreements as a condition of initiating a complaint, and in cases where
settlements are made, require the name of the employing office and the
amount of the award or settlement to be published on the Office of
Compliance’s (OOC) public website.
The legislation would also require mandatory training for all Members and staff, implement climate surveys providing interns and fellows the same protections as full-time staff, and end forced mediation and counseling, as well as the absurd and arbitrary wait times victims are currently forced to endure.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, “For too long, victims of
sexual assault and harassment have been shamed and bullied into silence,
perpetuating an inexcusable culture that has no place in our country.
No one, whether it be a Capitol Hill staffer, Hollywood actor,
schoolteacher, or soldier, or any other profession, should have to
choose between their job and their personal safety, security, and
privacy. Congress must take action now to address this pervasive
problem. It is outrageous that hard-working American taxpayers have paid
the bill for offending lawmakers’ harassment settlements totaling
millions of dollars, while keeping the names of these predators secret.
This is wrong and must be corrected immediately. No more excuses.
Members of Congress who harass their staffers must be held personally
and financially responsible for their actions, and the public should be
informed of their behavior.”
Follow Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on social media:
· Facebook.com/RepTulsiGabbard
· Twitter.com/TulsiPress
· YouTube.com/TulsiPress
· Flickr.com/RepTulsiGabbard
The legislation would also require mandatory training for all Members and staff, implement climate surveys providing interns and fellows the same protections as full-time staff, and end forced mediation and counseling, as well as the absurd and arbitrary wait times victims are currently forced to endure.
Follow Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on social media:
· Facebook.com/RepTulsiGabbard
· Twitter.com/TulsiPress
· YouTube.com/TulsiPress
· Flickr.com/RepTulsiGabbard
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