The House has passed a bill that would improve the terrible way Congress deals with sexual harassment charges, but the Senate hasn’t taken action. Why did Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decide not to include it in the spending bill passed last week?
Sources tell NBC News that McConnell had objected to including the measure because some senators had concerns with a provision of the bill that would require an accused lawmaker to be personally responsible for any settlements paid.
Hmmm. Gee. Don’t you wonder why “some senators” would be worried that lawmakers would become personally responsible for settlements rather than using official funds?
We’re going to need the names of the “some senators” who objected to this provision. Also, it’s time for that vote, and the too-few women in the Senate, Democrats and Republicans alike, are unified on that point:
All 22 women senators, from both sides of the political aisle, signed on to a letter sent to Senate leaders Wednesday demanding a vote on legislation that would reform the way Congress handles allegations of sexual harassment. [...]
"Inaction is unacceptable when a survey shows that four out of 10 women congressional staffers believe that sexual harassment is a problem on Capitol Hill and one out of six women in the same survey responded that they have been the survivors of sexual harassment," the women wrote in the letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
And seriously, we need the names of the senators who objected because harassers would become personally liable for settlements. Start with the names and we can work from there.