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Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) released the following statement regarding H. Res. 630 to requiring each Member, officer, and employee of the House of Representatives to complete a program of training in workplace rights and responsibilities each session of each Congress. The legislation is intended to make sure that Members and staff understand the serious nature of sexual harassment and respect their coworkers and colleagues.

“The first sentence of the official code of conduct says that Members and employees of the House shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House. Our constituents expect nothing less and it is our duty to uphold this standard as we are serving the American people.”

Additionally, Congressman Posey has worked with is colleagues to introduce the Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act, legislation to uphold the code of conduct and add more accountability and transparency to Congress. Specifically, the legislation would:

• Prohibit the use of public funds to pay settlements or awards for sexual harassment or assault claims;
• Disclose all payments previously made by the Office of Compliance on its website (the name of the victim is expressly prohibited from being disclosed);
• Require perpetrators to reimburse the taxpayers with interest;
• Prohibit nondisclosure agreements as a precondition to initiate procedures to address sexual harassment or assault claims; and
• Permit victims of sexual harassment or assault to make public statements about their claim, regardless of any previously signed nondisclosure agreement.