WASHINGTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a new policy for handling sexual harassment claims on Capitol by voice vote, making members of Congress personally liable for any related settlements.
The Senate bill would eliminate a 30-day counseling period, a 30-day mediation phase and a 30-day "cooling off" period currently required for victims of sexual harassment under the Congressional Accountability Act, said a TheHill news daily report.
It requires members, including senators who leave office, to repay the Treasury for any settlements tied to harassment they committed. If a settlement isn't repaid within 180 days, the legislation allows the federal government to target a senator's compensation or finances, said the report.
The bill also gives the Ethics Committee more oversight of claims and 90 days for a victim who has to decide if they want to file a lawsuit.
The bill now is sent to the House which passed its own legislation last year. Under the House bill, a victim has 45 days from the time he or she approaches the Office of Congressional Compliance.
"We are currently reviewing the Senate bill, and discussing next steps," said AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Currently in the United States, sexual harassment settlements involving lawmakers are paid by a Treasury account using taxpayers funding.
A Washington Post report said in December that the U.S. Treasury Department has spent 174,000 dollars on settling harassment-related claims over the last five years.
