Facing pressure, House approves anti-harassment training
Congress being forced to address accusations against some of its own
Congress being forced to address accusations against some of its own
Congress being forced to address accusations against some of its own
Under heavy pressure to address burgeoning sexual misconduct allegations, the House on Wednesday easily approved bipartisan measure requiring lawmakers and aides to take annual anti-harassment training.
The vote came as a Congress battling over Republican tax cuts and a potential government shutdown was also being forced to address accusations against some of its own. They included liberal heroes Rep. John Conyers and Sen. Al Franken and far-right GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama.
바카라 게임 웹사이트Sexual harassment has no place in any workplace, let alone in the United States Congress,바카라 게임 웹사이트 House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters. He called having a hostile environment on Capitol Hill 바카라 게임 웹사이트a disgrace바카라 게임 웹사이트 and added, 바카라 게임 웹사이트We will not tolerate that kind of behavior.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Despite the unanimity in addressing the problem, there was discord as one Democrat complained that leaders weren바카라 게임 웹사이트t being aggressive enough against Conyers, D-Mich. Conyers, 88, surrendered his post as the House Judiciary Committee바카라 게임 웹사이트s top Democrat after a report that he바카라 게임 웹사이트d quietly settled a complaint by a former aide who said he바카라 게임 웹사이트d harassed her, but at least three of his colleagues have said he should quit the House.
One of them, Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., said she left a meeting of House Democrats early because the harassment issue wasn바카라 게임 웹사이트t being taken seriously enough. She cited recent firings of media figures by their companies and told reporters, 바카라 게임 웹사이트We don바카라 게임 웹사이트t do the same, and I think it바카라 게임 웹사이트s a disgrace.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Top Democrats disputed that, and one senior aide said eight lawmakers discussed the issue at Wednesday바카라 게임 웹사이트s closed-door meeting. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and members of the Congressional Black Caucus have been pressing Conyers to resign from the House, said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.
Ryan told reporters that Conyers had 바카라 게임 웹사이트made the right decision바카라 게임 웹사이트 by leaving his Judiciary post. Conyers has returned to Detroit.
But the speaker sidestepped a question on whether lawmakers should more vocally address some women바카라 게임 웹사이트s claims that they were sexually harassed by Donald Trump before he became president.
바카라 게임 웹사이트Right now we바카라 게임 웹사이트re focused on making sure this place works the right way,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Ryan said.
Trump and Conyers have denied the accusations against them.
Underscoring lawmakers바카라 게임 웹사이트 concerns that they be viewed as addressing the issue properly, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said he바카라 게임 웹사이트d complete his anti-harassment training on Wednesday. Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said that at a closed-door meeting Wednesday of House Republicans, Ryan told them, 바카라 게임 웹사이트바카라 게임 웹사이트Make sure by the end of this month you can say you바카라 게임 웹사이트ve gone through training.바카라 게임 웹사이트바카라 게임 웹사이트
Lawmakers say the House anti-harassment training measure, similar to a plan the Senate already approved, is merely a first step. They are considering legislation that would strengthen Congress바카라 게임 웹사이트 lax and lengthy procedures for workers who want to lodge complaints. That includes the little-known practice in which lawmakers settle complaints with federally financed settlements for which recipients must promise to not publicly discuss the allegations.
Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va., a sponsor of Wednesday바카라 게임 웹사이트s House resolution, said in a brief interview that lawmakers are considering ending taxpayer-funded settlements, giving victims of alleged harassment more rights and requiring more information about complaints to be publicly released.
Conyers, the longest serving member of the House, is under fire after a news website reported on a settlement with a staffer who said he sexually harassed her, then fired her after she rebuffed his advances. Other former staffers have also come forward with claims of inappropriate behavior.
Franken was accused by one woman of forcibly kissing her during a USO tour in the Middle East in 2006, and three others have said he grabbed their buttocks while posing for pictures. Franken has apologized and said he welcomes a Senate Ethics Committee investigation.
In Alabama, Moore faces allegations of preying on teenage girls decades ago. Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have called on Moore to drop his candidacy, saying they believe the women, but Trump has all but endorsed Moore.
In addition, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, has apologized after a nude photo of him was leaked on social media.
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AP reporters Juliet Linderman and Kevin Freking contributed.