Members of Congress accused of sexual misconduct may have to start footing the bill themselves for settlements and court judgments.
While the law currently requires taxpayer dollars to fund settlements, a bipartisan agreement has been reached in the House and the Senate over a measure aimed at curbing sexual misconduct that would hold the lawmakers liable for harassment and retaliation settlements. Members would not be held liable for discrimination settlements, though.
The House passed the legislation earlier this year, and the Senate is poised the pass the compromise measure during this Congress. The legislation is then expected to be sent back to the House as an independent measure.
“For too long, victims of sexual harassment in Congress have been forced into a process that lacks transparency and accountability, and fails them at a time when they need the most support,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a leader of the measure in the upper chamber, said in a statement. “Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation — which we expect to pass in the coming days — will overhaul this broken process, ensure victims can immediately seek justice, and hold Members of Congress accountable.”
The legislation also cuts a required 30-day “cooling-off period” delaying a victim from filing a complaint and provides legal counsel and legal assistance to congressional aides.
The settlements would be made public and would be included in a public annual review.
In the past year, lawmakers including Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn.; Rep. Pat Meehan, R-Pa.; and Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., have stepped down from office amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
