House to make anti-harassment training mandatory, Ryan says

Policy change announcement follows hearing where female legislators exposed harassment by fellow members.

By Michelle Ye Hee Lee November 14 at 2:09 PM

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) announced Tuesday the House will adopt a policy change to make anti-harassment training mandatory for all members and staff.After a stunning hearing Tuesday morning where lawmakers acknowledged sexual harassment is a pervasive problem on Capitol Hill, Ryan released a statement saying that the hearing was “another important step in our efforts to combat sexual harassment and ensure a safe workplace.”“Going forward, the House will adopt a policy of mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training for all Members and staff. Our goal is not only to raise awareness, but also make abundantly clear that harassment in any form has no place in this institution,” Ryan said in the statement.

Ryan’s office has not yet provided details on what the policy change will be. While there are several bills that have been introduced or are in the works to require training in the House, none of them have yet moved forward.

The House Administration Committee, which oversees daily operations in the House, acknowledged in the Tuesday morning hearing that anti-harassment training is a necessary “first step” to fixing the sexual-harassment problem on Capitol Hill.

At Tuesday’s hearing, members publicly came to terms with sexual harassment as a pervasive problem on Capitol Hill. Female lawmakers aired tantalizing details, albeit without naming names, of unwanted sexual comments and advances taking place in their midst.

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