[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION TO COMBAT SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2018

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the National Commission 
to Combat Sexual Harassment Act to establish a national commission to 
examine and combat sexual harassment in the workplace.
  I have modeled this bill on legislation Congress has passed to 
address other national problems considered to be serious, such as 
gambling. The almost daily exposure of allegations of sexual 
harassment, many not denied, more than qualifies sexual harassment for 
national attention and priority. This bill would create a national 
commission to focus on sexual harassment in major industries and 
workplaces throughout the United States.
  Congress recently adopted a bill that addresses harassment in the 
congressional workplace. It requires Members of the House and Senate to 
be personally liable for settlements and awards resulting from 
harassment and retaliation claims, removes the mandatory counseling, 
mediation and ``cooling off' periods for accusers that is currently 
required, mandates publicly reporting awards and settlements and covers 
unpaid staff as well. This is a step in the right direction beginning 
here in the Congress. However, nothing equivalent has been done for 
sexual harassment that affects the American people. We have largely 
neglected our own constituents, despite the increasing number of 
troubling reports in the news of sexual harassment claims.
  A national commission would assure the American people that Congress 
takes sexual harassment affecting them--the typical worker--seriously, 
beyond the high-profile examples, such as allegations against Harvey 
Weinstein and the Congress itself, that have garnered the headlines. 
Most importantly, the commission would hear from a cross section of the 
public--from office and factory workers to retail and food service 
employees--whose experiences with sexual harassment have received 
almost no attention. The commission could travel or invite witnesses to 
Washington from throughout the country to recommend changes in laws or 
regulations and best practices for preventing, training, investigating, 
responding to and penalizing sexual harassment in the private and 
public sectors.
  Our constituents expect Congress, which represents every sector, to 
take on the national problem of sexual harassment, which we now know 
has infected every major sector of the economy, including private and 
public (federal, state and local) workplaces. A national commission 
could help reach and reduce sexual harassment, a form of gender 
discrimination, where the average woman and man works.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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