House may require anti-harassment training
WASHINGTON — The House took an important step Friday toward requiring members and staff to undergo training to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination, a change that would bring employment standards in Congress more in line with the rest of the federal government.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a resolution requiring all members, congressional staff, interns and fellows to receive anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training, which currently is voluntary and completed at the request of each member office.
Each member and employee would receive training within the first 90 days of each session of Congress, or within 90 days of becoming a member or an employee.
Each member office would be required to display a poster created by the Office of Compliance that outlines employees’ legal rights and protections and how they can report allegations of workplace violations.
The House is expected to vote on the resolution next week, according to the House Administration Committee, which oversees daily operations in the House.
Mandating anti-harassment training already has the support of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training is a requirement for federal agencies and the majority of the private sector. Earlier this month, the Senate approved a bipartisan resolution requiring periodic anti-harassment training for senators, aides and interns.
Lawmakers in recent weeks have come under pressure to improve the workplace culture on the Hill amid reports of lewd comments, unwanted sexual advances and other examples of sexual misconduct that have plagued Congress for decades.
Two lawmakers, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., are facing multiple allegations of inappropriate behavior. The House Ethics Committee is investigating allegations of misconduct by Mr. Conyers.
Mr. Franken on Thursday issued an apology and pledge. He wrote that he “feels terribly that I’ve made some women feel badly.” He called himself “a warm person” who likes to hug people when they’re being photographed with him, but clearly, his embrace “crossed a line for some women.”
Although his statement did not directly address the question of whether he might resign, he vowed to move ahead with an effort to regain the trust of his constituents.
A spokesman for Mr. Franken said that the senator has no plans to resign.
The mandatory-training resolution introduced Friday is sponsored by House Administration Committee Chairman Gregg Harper, RMiss., the committee’s top Democrat; Robert Brady, DPa.; Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va.; and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif.