Why Did Warren Not Include Congress In Her Bill?

Elizabeth Warren co-sponsors bill to force companies to publicly report sexual harassment settlements

BY REBECCA SAVRANSKY - 02/27/18 09:02 AM EST 78

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© Greg Nash

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) plan to introduce new legislation that would require public companies to make data about sexual harassment in their workplaces public.

The legislation — called the Sunlight in Workplace Harassment Act — is expected to be introduced Tuesday, BuzzFeed News reported.

The legislation would force companies to report sexual harassment-related settlements, including the amount of money paid out, according to the publication.

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BuzzFeed News reported that the legislation would also mandate that companies report settlements related to "race, religion, sex, gender identity, genetic information, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, service-member status, or age discrimination."

The bill would not allow companies to include the names of people involved in the settlements.

“What the #MeToo movement has taught us is that we're not going to change the culture where this misconduct is brushed aside or openly tolerated in workplaces across America without more transparency on how these issues are being handled,” Rosen said in a statement to BuzzFeed News.

Rosen said she's spoken to some of her Republican colleagues about the bill and "several have expressed interest in learning" more about it.

“It's my hope that we can bring Republicans on board in the House and Senate to move this plan forward," she said.

Warren said in a statement that the "Me Too" movement has reminded people that sexual harassment happens in all workplaces.

"Our bill will help systemically expose workplace harassment and push employers across the country to aggressively prevent it," she told BuzzFeed News.

"I’m working to make sure Congress prevents workplace harassment both within its walls and outside of them."

Multiple women in recent months have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against powerful men in the media and politics as part of the "Me Too" movement.