U.s. congressman Rodney davis proudly representing the 13th district of illinois

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), member of the Committee on House Administration, today announced that the House unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to reform sexual harassment rules within the Legislative Branch. Davis and other members of the committee launched a review of the House processes last November. Multiple hearings identified the need to update and overhaul the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA) of 1995.

Davis released this statement after the House passed H.R. 4924 and H.Res. 724:

“Today, the House took steps to overhaul the congressional rules to increase professionalism and establish a workplace that is grounded in respect. Whether you work in government, in the media, in Hollywood, or elsewhere, no one should have to worry about sexual harassment when they come to work. It’s going to take more than just a change in rules to solve this problem in our society. It’s going to take a systemic change that continues to say that this kind of behavior is never acceptable and I believe members of Congress should lead our nation by example.

“These reforms will strengthen employee protections against sexual harassment, increase transparency, and hold members of Congress personally responsible for their conduct and taxpayer dollars. These bills are the result of months of discussions and hearings led by the Committee on House Administration. Not unlike many issues in Congress, these reforms would not have been possible without strong bipartisan leadership. I want to thank Chairman Harper, Ranking Member Brady, my colleagues on the committee, and other leaders in Congress, including Reps. Jackie Speier, Susan Brooks, and Bradley Byrne, for their dedication to addressing this issue.”

Reforms made by these bills include:
-Changes processes offices must follow to protect employees.
-Streamlines and strengthens the dispute resolution and reporting processes.
-Protects taxpayer dollars by requiring members of Congress to reimburse the Treasury for settlements made against them.
-Strengthens transparency by requiring reports on awards every six months.

Additional details can be found here.