WASHINGTON – Committee on House Administration Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS) and Ranking Member Robert Brady (D-PA), along with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Representative Bradley Byrne (R-AL), and Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) issued the following joint statement upon the House and Senate reaching an agreement on reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995:

“We have reached an agreement with the Senate on a strong package of reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 that will focus on protecting victims, strengthening transparency, holding Members accountable for their personal conduct, and improving the adjudication process.

“Over the past year, the House has taken a number of steps to ensure a safer and more productive work environment. Those steps include implementing mandatory training for all Members and staff, creating the Office of Employee Advocacy, setting minimum requirements for each office with respect to anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies, and amending House rules.

“The agreement reflects the first set of comprehensive reforms that have been made to the Congressional Accountability Act since 1995. We believe this is a strong step towards creating a new standard in Congress that will set a positive example in our nation, but there is still more work to be done.

“While this compromise with the Senate is a good first step, House Republicans and Democrats remain committed to working in a bipartisan manner to address outstanding issues in the 116th Congress, including passing legislation which holds Members personally liable for discrimination, reauthorizing the Employee Advocate, and strengthening our workplace rights and responsibilities education program.”

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