[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 1 (Thursday, January 3, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          COMBATTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN SCIENCE ACT OF 2019

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 3, 2019

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to be joined 
by my good friend, Ranking Member Lucas, in introducing the Combatting 
Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  January 3, 2019, on page E2, the following appeared: Ms. EDDIE 
BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to be 
joined by my good friend, Ranking Member LUCAS, in introducing the 
Combatting Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: Ms. JOHNSON of 
Texas. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to be joined by my good 
friend, Ranking Member LUCAS, in introducing the Combatting Sexual 
Harassment in Science Act of 2019.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  Over the last year, the #MeToo movement emboldened countless women, 
many who had remained silent for years, to share their experiences. 
Their stories made it clear that the experience of sexual harassment is 
much too common across all segments of our society. A recent report by 
the National Academies of Sciences revealed that sexual harassment is 
pervasive in the scientific workplace--in lecture halls, laboratories, 
observatories, and remote field sites. The report also found that 
sexual harassment stifles the advancement of female scientists.
  This bill establishes a research program at the National Science 
Foundation to examine the prevalence of and factors contributing to 
sexual harassment in the scientific workforce. Furthermore, this bill 
directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to issue uniform 
policy guidance to Federal science agencies to ensure every agency has 
clear policies and dedicated resources to prevent and respond to 
incidents of sexual harassment at academic institutions receiving 
federal research funding. This legislation also creates an interagency 
working group to improve coordination and communication among agencies 
in addressing sexual harassment by federally funded scientists.
  Sexual harassment is driving some of our brightest minds away from 
careers in research at a time when we need them most. If we are to 
tackle the scientific and technological challenges ahead of us, we must 
do more to ensure women are free to conduct their research without 
being degraded, harassed, or abused because of their gender. The 
Combatting Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019 is an important 
first step in that direction, and I hope Members on both sides of the 
aisle will support this legislation.

                          ____________________