House to vote next week on required anti harassment training

FILE: Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Paul Ryan (Photo By U.S. Congress, Public Domain)

WASHINGTON — The House will vote next week on requiring anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training for all members and their staffs.

Speaker Paul Ryan said earlier this month that the training would be required, but lawmakers say in a statement Friday that a vote on the bipartisan resolution to mandate training is expected next week. The Senate has already approved a measure requiring all senators, staff and interns to be trained on preventing sexual harassment.

The House’s vote comes at a time when multiple men in entertainment media and politics have faced allegations ranging from inappropriate behaviour to sexual harassment, assault and rape.

Democratic congressman John Conyers of Michigan and Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota are among those who have been the subject of accusations, as is Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.