Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Address Sexual Harassment in Science

Democratic Senators have introduced a bill to address sexual harassment in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. On April 4, 2019, Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), introduced the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019, which would authorize $17.4 million per year in funding to address the causes and consequences of sexual harassment in STEM. The bill comes in response to a National Academies’ study published in 2018 that found that 58 percent of women in STEM fields say they have been sexually harassed. A companion measure was introduced in the House by House Science Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) in January 2019. The legislation directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to expand research into sexual harassment in the STEM workforce and to examine “interventions” to prevent and respond to such harassment. The bill also asks NSF to work with federal statistical agencies to gather national data on the “prevalence, nature, and implications of such harassment in institutions of higher education.” In addition, NSF would work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to update a “responsible conduct guide” and to study the impact of sexual harassment on the careers of individuals in the STEM workforce. Additionally, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy would develop uniform p...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news