Oct 27, 2017

Congress can settle harassment lawsuits with taxpayer money

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Congress members are able to settle sexual harassment lawsuits with a U.S. Treasury fund instead of from their own funds, the Washington Post reports, as part of the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act.

Why it matters: The Treasury doled out $15.2 million between 1997 and 2014, on 235 workplace violation settlements (the nature of the violations are not specifie d), per WaPo. California Rep. Jackie Speier told the Post: "It is not a victim-friendly process. It is an institution-protection process."

The 1995 law gives victims 180 days to make a complaint following the incident; they are then required to have 30 days of counseling followed by 30 more days of mediation. WaPo reports that "if the problem is still unresolved, the can pursue an OOC administrative hearing or file a federal lawsuit." On the other hand, members only have an ethics program (not harassment prevention) as part of their mandatory training, and only 800 people have taken the harassment-prevention online tutorial since 2015.

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Axios
Updated 6 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 9:45 p.m. ET: 19,282,972 — Total deaths: 718,851 — Total recoveries — 11,671,491 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 9:45 p.m. ET: 4,937,441 — Total deaths: 161,248 — Total recoveries: 1,623,870 — Total tests: 60,415,558 — Map.
  3. Politics: Trump says he's prepared to sign executive orders on coronavirus aid.
  4. Education: Cuomo says all New York schools can reopen for in-person learning.
  5. Public health: Surgeon general urges flu shots to prevent "double whammy" with coronavirus — Massachusetts pauses reopening after uptick in coronavirus cases.
  6. World: Africa records over 1 million coronavirus cases — Gates Foundation puts $150 million behind coronavirus vaccine production.
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Alexi McCammond, Hans Nichols
7 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Warren and Clinton to speak on same night of Democratic convention

(Photos: Abdulhamid Hosbas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton both are slated to speak on the Wednesday of the Democratic convention — Aug. 19 — four sources familiar with the planning told Axios.

Why it matters: That's the same night Joe Biden's running mate (to be revealed next week) will address the nation. Clinton and Warren represent two of the most influential wise-women of Democratic politics with the potential to turn out millions of establishment and progressive voters in November.

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Caitlin Owens, Jacob Knutson
7 hours ago - Health

Trump considering order on pre-existing condition protections, which already exist

Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump announced on Friday he will pursue an executive order requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions, something that is already law.

Why it matters: The Affordable Care Act already requires insurers to cover pre-existing conditions. The Trump administration is currently arguing in a case before the Supreme Court to strike down that very law — including its pre-existing condition protections.

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