politics

This Senator Wants Mandatory Sexual-Harassment Training for Congress

The Capitol.

Republican senator Chuck Grassley may be best known for his inane tweets (remember the deer?), but he is also reportedly pushing for mandatory sexual-harassment training for Senate staffers in the wake of allegations against a number of powerful Hollywood and media figures.

According to Politico, Grassley wrote a letter on Tuesday to the Senate Rules Committee proposing that all upper-chamber employees be required to undergo sexual-harassment training. At the moment, such programs are voluntary on the Hill. However, a recent Politico report highlighted the ineffectiveness of Congress’s current sexual-harassment policies.

“I am convinced that sexual-harassment training is vitally important to maintaining a respectful and productive work environment in Congress,” Grassley wrote, per Politico. He added, “My understanding is that many offices require their staff to participate in sexual-harassment training … but as this training is not mandatory, some may not be receiving it.”

Grassley pushed for a letter from the Rules Committee to be sent to all Senate employees, informing them that such training would be mandatory for current and new staffers. Grassley noted that a similar letter was sent out in July 2016 requiring cybersecurity training for all employees.

Hopefully the training will go more smoothly than Grassley’s attempt to dodge questions about federal indictments.

Senator Calls for Mandatory Harassment Training in Congress