Grassley: Sexual Harassment Training Should Be Mandatory For Hill Staff

In this June 11, 2013, photo, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Grassley says the Internal Revenue Service is about to pay $70 mil... In this June 11, 2013, photo, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Grassley says the Internal Revenue Service is about to pay $70 million in employee bonuses despite an Obama administration directive to cancel discretionary bonuses because of automatic spending cuts. He says his office has learned that the IRS is executing an agreement with the employees’ union on Wednesday, June 19, 2013, to pay the bonuses. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) MORE LESS
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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) wrote in a letter to the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday that Congress should make sexual harassment training mandatory for all new employees and those who have not received it.

“I am convinced that sexual harassment training is vitally important to maintaining a respectful and productive work environment in Congress,” he wrote in a letter obtained by Politico.

Some offices require staffers to attend the training, but it’s not mandatory for all staffers on Capitol Hill.

Grassley’s push for mandatory sexual harassment training comes after Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) complained last week about the process for reporting sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill.

The congresswoman shared in a video that she was the victim of an unwanted sexual advance by another staffer senior to her. She also told Politico last week that she plans to introduce legislation to change the process for reporting sexual misconduct, arguing that the system in place now is “toothless” and “a joke.”

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  1. Really, Chuckles? What about the Senate staff, asshole? And BTW, what about your own damn self, you self-righteous, pandering piece of shit? Just because you look like you haven’t been able to get it up for 43 years doesn’t convince me that you haven’t grabbed a few crotches during your time in the Senate, just like your hero in the White House.
    Oh, and make sure your shoes are tied next time a reporter asks you about the Russia/Trump scandal and you run away like you are heading for the Senate bathroom after downing a box of Ex-Lax. We wouldn’t want to see you fall flat on your face, dickhead.

  2. I said to my wife that there sure seems to be a lot of this in DC and Hollywood. And she almost punched me. “Not just there!! Everywhere!! All the time!!”

    She was absolutely shocked I didn’t know how pervasive it is. I got that sense (again) how limited my perspective is.

  3. Avatar for sanni sanni says:

    Staffers - good start. But not the Congressmen or Representatives themselves. So if it is the elected official doing the harassment - it’s okay? Or it’s the job of the staff to recognize the behaviors and ‘warn’ the staff - but not the elected official because/Congress = 'laws don’t apply to us?" Be a tad bit bolder, Senator - how about everyone needs to attend including members of the House and Senate?

  4. How isn’t it already mandatory? My company has been making us do it for years.

    ETA: Wait a minute. Just the staff? What about the law makers? They’re probably the worst offenders (old boys club). Not to mention staff take their direction from their leaders.

  5. The Senate is part of the Congress.

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