[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard
Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Combating Sexual
Harassment in Science Act today to improve the understanding of factors
contributing to sexual harassment in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) fields, examine impacts of harassment on individuals and
policies to reduce it, and spur interagency efforts to mitigate this
harassment.
“This bill directly confronts the
persistent and pervasive culture of sexual harassment in STEM,” said Blumenthal.
“Harassment and discrimination rob talented individuals of brilliant careers
and deprive our country of their great minds. With deep gender inequality in
STEM fields, we must make it easier for women and other underrepresented groups
to join and thrive in these industries. I’m proud to spearhead this effort with
Senator Smith and ensure we put a stop to unacceptable harassment and
discrimination in STEM.”
“This sad truth is clear: we know that
many people pursuing careers in STEM fields have experienced sexual
harassment,” said
Smith. “We need to put a stop to this, and empower all students to live up
to their fullest potential and succeed. I’m introducing the Combating
Sexual Harassment in Science Act with my colleague Senator Blumenthal because
we cannot look away—we have to address this problem and support all those
pursuing, and actively working in, jobs in the STEM field.”
This legislation follows a landmark
2018
report from the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which found that
sexual harassment is wide-spread in higher education institutions and
contributes to loss of talented, highly-trained individuals in STEM. U.S.
Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced
a similar version of the bill in the House last week.
Among its provisions, the Combating
Sexual Harassment in Science Act would award grants through the National
Science Foundation (NSF) to better understand the factors contributing to and
consequences of sexual harassment across institutions of higher education and
nonprofit organizations and to examine interventions to reduce its frequency
and impact. The bill would also direct Federal statistical agencies to collect
national data on the prevalence, nature, and implications of sexual harassment
in institutions of higher education, direct NSF to enter into an agreement with
the Academies to update the Academies’ research conduct report to include more
detailed data points, and establish an interagency working group chaired by the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to coordinate the
efforts of Federal science agencies.
The legislation has also been cosponsored
by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar
(D-MN), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT),
Ron Wyden (D-OR), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Sherrod Brown
(D-OH), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).
“The ongoing culture of sexual harassment
in STEM fields is unacceptable. We must directly confront this culture and take
action to address it. Tackling gender inequity – and inequity across the board
– in our STEM fields is vital to ensuring our success in these areas, and
promoting safe and inclusive work and learning environments is key to that
goal,” said
Van Hollen.
“Workplace sexual harassment is a
widespread problem that affects too many, and I’ll continue pushing for
policies that send a clear message that it will not be tolerated,” said Klobuchar.
“I thank Senators Blumenthal and Smith for their work on this bill.”
“Sexual harassment has no place in our
society. Congress needs to do more to combat sexual harassment in federal
programs, colleges and universities, and the workforce, and this bill takes
important steps to address the issue through better data collection and
research, new resources, and improved coordination,” said Hirono. “I
join my colleagues to reintroduce this legislation today because we must
actively work to stop sexual harassment everywhere.”
“Sexual harassment in the workplace is
especially pervasive in male-dominated fields like STEM. Harassment creates a
culture of impunity, fear and abuse that far too often results in some of our
brightest and most talented minds being driven away from the sciences,” said Shaheen.
“This legislation includes common-sense policies to identify and address
factors contributing to harassment and ensure our scientific workforce can
thrive. Supporting survivors of sexual harassment and violence will always be a
top priority for me in the Senate.”
“As the #MeToo movement continues to
spotlight, sexual harassment remains all too prevalent in the workplace. Too
often, women, people of color and non-binary people are forced out of academic
work due to this very kind of harassment. This is a travesty on two fronts—it
deprives survivors of the careers they should have had and it causes brain
drain in critical STEM disciplines, curbing scientific and technological
advances,” said
Wyden. “Congress must figure out how to stop sexual harassment in STEM, and
this bill is the start we need.”
“This pandemic has proven how crucial STEM
skills are to the future of our country and how important it is to support our
STEM workforce,” said
Brown. “American innovation in science and technology is made stronger when
everyone is able to participate free from discrimination or harassment. This
legislation takes important steps toward ensuring more inclusive, safe, and
equitable opportunities are afforded to scholars in STEM fields, which were
already underrepresented by women and especially women of color, well before
the pandemic.”
The Combating Sexual Harassment in Science
Act has been endorsed by American Educational Research Association, American
Mathematical Society, American Physical Society, Society of Women Engineers,
and American Geophysical Union.
