FYI: Science Policy News
FYI
/
Bill
117th Congress
Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act
Purpose
To provide for research to better understand the causes and consequences of sexual harassment affecting individuals in the scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics workforce and to examine policies to reduce the prevalence and negative impact of such harassment, and for other purposes.
Summary of Selected Provisions

Selected provisions in bill as introduced

  • Directs the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop an inventory of current federal science agency policies, procedures, and resources for preventing and responding to reports of sexual harassment
  • Directs OSTP to issue uniform policy guidelines for federal science agencies on how to prevent and respond to incidents of sexual harassment at grantee institutions
  • Stipulates that these guidelines require grantees to notify funding agencies of “findings or determinations” of sexual harassment and any “administrative action” related to a harassment investigation that “affects the ability of grant personnel or their trainees to carry out the activities of the grant”
  • Directs agencies with annual extramural research expenditures greater than $100 million to implement policies that are consistent with these guidelines
  • Directs the National Science Foundation to establish a program that awards grants for research on sexual harassment in the STEM workforce
  • Directs NSF to convene an interagency working group to collect data on the prevalence of sexual harassment in higher education
  • Directs NSF to commission an update of the 2009 National Academies report on responsible research conduct and a new study on how sexual harassment in higher education influences career advancement in the STEM workforce
  • Authorizes $17.5 million for NSF to carry out directed activities
Primary Sponsors
Co-sponsors by Party
R
3
D
14
I
0
Actions
  • 05/18/2021
    Passed by House
  • 04/20/2021
    Introduced in House

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