Women in the Senate Call Bullshit After Inaction on Sexual Harassment Bill

A bill to support victims of sexual harassment and hold harassers accountable is dying on Capitol Hill, and women senators, all 22 of them, are calling out their colleagues.

Led by Democratic Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, and Patty Murray, the women of the Senate wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressing their disappointment over the stalled legislation.

From the letter, as reported by Politico and CNN:

Survivors who have bravely come forward to share their stories have brought to light just how widespread harassment and discrimination continue to be throughout Capitol Hill

…

We urge you to bring before the full Senate legislation that would update and strengthen the procedures available to survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination in congressional workplaces.

In response to building momentum around #MeToo and multiple reports of politicians paying off victims in secret, Gillibrand proposed legislation that would overhaul the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act and remake the process for reporting sexual harassment on Capitol Hill. The new legislation would make the process less arduous for victims and would out those who used taxpayer money to pay off their accusers.

While a similar bill passed in the House, the Senate bill is floundering. It was left out of the massive $1.3 trillion spending bill that President Trump signed into law last week; Schumer, in a comment to CNN, cited lawmakers not caring for “specific provisions” in the sexual harassment bill as the reason it stalled.

But, he insisted: “It’s a very important issue and we’re going to get something done in the next little while.”