Senate passes overhaul of sexual harassment claim process

December 13, 2018 News On Demand
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FILE - This Oct. 1, 2018, file photo, shows the Capitol at sunrise in Washington. Republicans have begun to concede defeat in the evolving fight to preserve the House majority. The party’s candidates may not go quietly, but from Arizona to Colorado to Iowa, the GOP’s most powerful players are shifting resources away from vulnerable Republican House candidates deemed too far gone and toward those thought to have a better chance of political survival. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed a bill to overhaul the process for handling sexual assault and harassment claims in Congress.

The bill holds lawmakers, including those who leave office, financially liable for settlements resulting from harassment and retaliation. It also eliminates mandatory counseling and mediation for victims, and gets rid of a “cooling off” period that they are now required to observe before filing a lawsuit or requesting an administrative hearing.

The push for the legislation took on new urgency in the past year as more than a half-dozen lawmakers resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

The legislation passed the Senate Thursday by unanimous consent. It is expected to pass the House before the end of the year and be signed into law by President Trump.