Norton Introduces Bill to Create National Commission to Combat Sexual Harassment

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to create a national commission to combat sexual harassment in the nation's major industries and workplaces. The commission would report to Congress on recommended changes in law or regulations and is modeled on legislation Congress enacted to combat other national problems. Norton, the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), issued the first federal guidelines holding sexual harassment to be a violation of equal employment laws, later upheld by the Supreme Court.

"Sexual harassment is a pervasive problem that impacts every part of our society," Norton said. "In the last few years, the country has made tremendous strides in calling out and confronting sexual harassment. However, unlike individual high-profile cases, this commission would focus on the average American worker.

"Discrimination and the hierarchy of power in the workplace mean that men still hold positions that enable them to take advantage of or ignore female subordinates. A national commission would help expose pervasive sexual harassment in private sector workplaces. Importantly, a national commission would not have to wait for workers to take the risk of coming forward but would be charged with taking affirmative steps to look at workplace practices.”

Congress has created similar national commissions on other national areas, such as gambling, preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism.

Norton’s introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

on the Introduction of

the National Commission to Combat Workplace Sexual Harassment Act

May 28, 2024

Today, I introduce the National Commission to Combat Workplace Sexual Harassment Act, which would establish a national commission to combat sexual harassment in the workplace.  I have modeled this bill on bills Congress has passed to establish commissions to address other national problems.  Specifically, this bill would establish a commission to carry out a comprehensive investigation and study of workplace sexual harassment in the United States.

A national commission would assure the American people that Congress takes sexual harassment seriously, beyond just the high-profile workplace instances.  Most importantly, the commission would hear from a cross section of workers—from office and factory workers to retail and food service workers.  The commission could travel or invite witnesses to the District of Columbia from throughout the country to recommend changes in laws or regulations and best practices to prevent, investigate, respond to and penalize sexual harassment in the private and public sectors.

Our constituents expect Congress to take on the problem of sexual harassment throughout our national economy.  A national commission could help reach and reduce sexual harassment, a form of gender discrimination, where the average American works.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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