SENATOR BLUNT AND I WERE HERE ON THE FLOOR EARLIER TO TALK ABOUT THE BILL THAT JUST PASSED THROUGH THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY AND THAT IS A BILL DEALING WITH THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND OTHER HARASSMENT RULES OF THE CONGRESS. THIS WAS A JOINT EFFORT, AND I WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY, FIRST OF ALL, TO THANK EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THIS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, SENATOR BLUNT, WHO HAS BEEN A TRUE PARTNER. WE HAVE WORKED ON EVERYTHING TOGETHER FROM ADOPTION TO TOURISM, AND LAST MONTH WHEN HE TOOK OVER FROM SENATOR SHELBY'S ABLE LEADER THE RULES COMMITTEE, HE AND I WORKED TOGETHER ON CHANGING THE SENATE'S RULES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE SENATE TO BE MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY AND WORK WITH SENATOR TAMMIE DUCKWORTH SO THAT HER BABY WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE FLOOR, AS WILL OTHER CHILDREN OF MALE AND FEMALE SENATORS GOING FORWARD. THE WORLD IS CHANGING, AND THE SENATE NEEDS TO CHANGE WITH IT. AND I WOULD ARGUE THE SENATE SHOULD BE IN THE LEAD. IT IS NO SURPRISE THEN THAT WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF WOMEN STAFF MEMBERS TAKE THE LEAD AND WORK WITH US ON THIS BILL. FIRST OF ALL, LIZZIE PALUSO, WHO IS MY LEAD AND THE RANKING MEMBER'S STAFF DIRECTOR OF OUR RULES COMMITTEE. SHE WAS MY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR A A NUMBER OF YEARS AND MOVED OVER TO BE OUR LEAD ON THE RULES COMMITTEE, AND SHE'S DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB USHERING THIS LEGISLATION THROUGH, LISTENING TO MEMBERS' CONCERNS, WORKING WITH PEOPLE ON THE LEGISLATION. ALSO STACEY McBRIDE, WHO HAS THE SAME ROLE FOR SENATOR BLUNT AND HAS WORKED WITH HIM ON THIS, AND WE THANK HER FOR HER HELP AS WELL. I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION ERIN SAGER VAUGHAN, WHO WORKED WITH SENATORSSURED HAS REALLY DONE A LOT OF WORKEN THIS BILL AND IT'S JUST -- AND IT JUST WAS A TEAM EFFORT. JOHN ABIG FROM THE SENATOR Mc CONNELL'S OFFICE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AS WELL AS TRAVIS CAVELTI FROM MY O I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS WORK ON THIS BILL. MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS A BILL THAT WAS A LONG TIME IN COMING, AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME EXCELLENT WORK OVER IN THE HOUSE, AND WE WANT TO THANK THEM, REPRESENTATIVE SPEAR, AND OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THEIR BILL. WE KNOW IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OUR BILL, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THEM OUT AND WORKING WITH THEM AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I DID WANT TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE WHO SUPPORTED THIS BILL AND WORKED WITH US, AND THAT WOULD BE SENATOR GILLIBRAND, WHO'S BEEN SUCH A LEADER ON THIS ISSUE; SENATOR MURRAY, SENATOR McCASKILL, SENATOR HARRIS, ALSO OUR RULES COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP, SENATOR FEINSTEIN, SENATOR CORTEZ MASTO, SENATOR CAPITO, AND SENATOR FISCHER, ALL WOMEN WHO SERVE ON THE RULES COMMITTEE, KNOWING WE HAD TO CHANGE THE RULES. AND I WOULD FIRST SAY THIS ABOUT THIS BILL -- IT WAS SENATOR ENZI WHO WOULD ALWAYS SAY ABOUT HIS WORK WITH SENATOR TED KENNEDY, YOU'VE GOT TO START WITH THE 80% THAT YOU AGREE ON. AND WE FOUND A LOT TO AGREE ON WHEN IT CAME TO REFORMING THE PROCESS IN THE SENATE WHICH WAS LITERALLY STACKED AGAINST VICTIMS, DIDN'T INCLUDE INTERNS, DIDN'T INCLUDE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE SENATE, AND WAS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR PEOPLE TO BRING CLAIMS. OUR GOAL HERE, OF COURSE, IS A SAFE WORKPLACE, NOT ONLY IN THE U.S. SENATE AND IN THE U.S. HOUSE, NOT ONLY IN ALL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO AS MUCH AS THIS DEBATE HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON PEOPLE WHO SERVE POSITIONS OF POWER, AS IT WELL SHOULD BE, WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THE NURSE ON THE FRONT LINE IN THE HOSPITAL, THE FACTORY WORKER ON THE POULTRY LINE IN MINNESOTA, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE AT ALL WORKPLACES. AND I KNOW THIS DISCUSSION IS GOING ON ACROSS AMERICA, AND WE ARE MORE THAN READY TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION. SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD A 30-D FORCED COUNSELING PERIOD, IF SOMEONE WERE TO BRING A HARASSMENT CLAIM IN THE SENATE. 30 DAYS OF FORCED MEDIATION, EVEN IF THEY DON'T WANT TO MEDIATE THE CLAIM. WE HAD A 30-DAY FORCED COOLING-OFF PERIOD BEFORE THEY COULD HAVE ACCESS TO A COURT. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO A NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. INTERNS HAD NO PROTECTION AT ALL, AND THERE WAS NO ACTUAL TRANSPARENCY AROUND AWARDS OR SETTLEMENTS. IT WAS LITERALLY SET UP TO MUZZLE THE VICTIMS IN THESE CASES. SO WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, SENATOR GRASSLEY AND I WORKED THIS LAST FALL, ALONG WITH SENATOR SHELBY AND OTHERS, ON MANDATORY TRAINING. AND I APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP OF SENATOR McCONNELL AND SENATOR SCHUMER IN WORKING WITH THIS -- ON THIS AND GETTING THIS DONE WELCOMELY SO THAT -- DONE QUICKLY SO THAT EVERY STAFF MEMBER IN THE SENATE, INCLUDING EVERY SENATOR, NOW GOES THROUGH SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING. AND THAT HAD TO HAPPEN FOR THE FIRST TIME BY THE END OF JANUARY, AND THAT HAPPENED. WE ALSO WERE CONCERNED THAT VICTIMS WEREN'T REPORTING INCIDENTS. AFTER ALL, 75% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORK DIDN'T REPORT IT. SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE IMPROVED THE PROCESS SO THAT WOULD CHANGE. SO WHAT DOES THIS LEGISLATION DO? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, AS I MENTIONED, IT OVERHAULS THE PROCESS. THAT WAS OUR FIRST AND MAJOR GOAL, TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR VICTIMS. IT ALLOWS A VICTIM TO IMMEDIATELY PURSUE AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OR FILE A CIVIL ACTION. NONE OF THESE COOLING-OFF PERIODS THAT ARE MANDATORY. IT MAINTAINS THE OPTION FOR AN EMPLOYEE TO GO INTO MEDIATION. SECONDLY, IMMEDIATE PROTECTIONS FOR STAFF. THE BILL THAT JUST PASSED THE SENATE PROVIDES EMPLOYEES WITH IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO A DEDICATED ADVOCATE WHO WILL PROVIDE CONSULTATION AND ASSISTANCE AND FIGURE OUT ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AND WORK WITH THEM ON THAT. AS I MENTIONED, IT COVERS INTERNS, DETAILEES AND HISTORIES WORK IN THE SENATE AS UNPAID STAFF. IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYEES TO WORK REMOTELY OR REQUEST PAID LEAVE WITHOUT FEAR OF RETRIBUTION AFTER THEY HAVE MADE A COMPLAINT. IT REQUIRES THAT A NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES BE POSTED WITHIN EVERY EMPLOYING OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, INCLUDING STATE AND DISTRICT OFFICES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROVISIONS THAT I WILL PUT ON THE RECORD THAT ARE PUT INTO IMMEDIATE -- PUT IN TO IMMEDIATELY PROTECT STAFF. LAST, ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MEMBERS. THIS BILL HOLDS MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE PERSONALLY LIABLE BY REQUIRING THEM TO REPAY AWARDS AND SETTLEMENTS STEMMING FROM ACTS OF HARASSMENT THAT THEY PERSONALLY COMMIT AND ENSURES MEMBERS WHO LEAVE OFFICE WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAYING THE TREASURY, INCLUDING GARNISHING WAGES OF NONGOVERNMENT WAGES AND RETIREMENT ANNUITIES TO ENSURE FULL REPAYMENT. IT REQUIRES PUBLIC REPORTING OF AWARDS AND SETTLEMENTS INCLUDING IDENTIFYING IF A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE WAS PERSONALLY LIABLE. AND IT ALSO REQUIRES CLAIMS TO BE AUTOMATICALLY REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ETHICS FOR INVESTIGATION OR FURTHER ACTION WHEN THERE IS A FINAL AWARD OR SETTLEMENT. THAT -- THOSE ARE THE TOP LINES OF THE BILL, BUT I THINK WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE THAN WORDS ON THE WAGE. IT IS MORE THAN GOING -- ON THE PAGE. IT IS MORE THAN GOING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHICH PROVISION WOULD BE BETTER. THIS IS REALLY ABOUT THE CASES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, THAT THEY BE HANDLED CORRECTLY, THAT WE HAVE A NEW AND IMPROVED WORKPLACE GOING FORWARD SO ALL PEOPLE FEEL SAFE, SO THAT THE CULTURE HERE FEELS SAFE, AND SO THAT WE CAN BE TRUE LEADERS FOR WORKPLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AGAIN, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE DECISION OF MANY MEMBERS THAT WORK HERE TO, ONE, GO OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE BUT, TWO, DECIDE THEY WERE MORE INTERESTED IN GETTING SOMETHING DONE THAN HAVING A MESSAGING BILL. THAT IS WHAT EVERY SENATOR HERE DECIDED, THAT IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO CHANGE THIS PROCESS, AND A YEAR FROM NOW, ONCE WE GET THIS PASSED THROUGH THE HOUSE AND WE WORK WITH THEM AND WE GET THIS DONE, I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT STORY TELL ABOUT THE WORKPLACES THAT WE WORK IN. AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR MAKING THAT DECISION TO CONCRETELY GET SOMETHING DONE INSTEAD OF JUST POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I YIELD THE FLOOR.