[PAA-Discuss] Whoo Hoo! SA 2588 Passes 68-30

[Juli3 at aol.com]

Hello Stop Family Violence Activists!
 
Great News!!  Senate Amendment 2588 passed on a vote of  68-30
 
To see how your legislators voted _click  here_ 
(http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00
308) 
 
Thanks for your quick response!!  

Here's the press  release from Senator Franken's office.
 
For Immediate Release:
October 6th, 2009  

Contact:
Jess McIntosh
Jess_mcintosh at franken.senate.gov  <Jess_mcintosh at franken.senate.gov>
202.725.6787 

Franken's Proposal To Guarantee Sexual  Assault Victims Their Day In Court 
Passes 
By 68 - 30,  Amendment Offered in Honor of former KBR employee Jamie Leigh 
Jones  Passes the Senate 


WASHINGTON, DC [10/6/09] - Today, the  amendment offered by U.S. Sen. Al 
Franken (D-Minn.) to stop funding  defense contractors who deny assault 
victims their day in court passed  the United States Senate by a vote of 68 - 30.

Last  Thursday, Sen. Franken introduced an amendment (S.2588) to the FY2010 
 Defense Appropriations Bill that would restrict funding to defense  
contractors who commit employees to mandatory binding arbitration in the  case of 
sexual assault. The legislation, endorsed by 61 women's, labor  and public 
interest groups, was inspired by the story of Jamie Leigh  Jones, who watched 
the vote from the Senate gallery today.  

Jones was a 19-yr-old employee of defense contractor KBR  (formerly a 
Halliburton subsidiary) stationed in Iraq who was gang raped  by her co-workers 
and imprisoned in a shipping container when she tried  to report the crime. 
Her father and U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (R-Tex.), worked  together to secure her 
safe return to the United States, but once she  was home, she learned a 
fine-print clause in her KBR contract banned her  from taking her case to court, 
instead forcing her into an "arbitration"  process that would be run by KBR 
itself. Just today, Halliburton filed a  petition for a rehearing en banc in 
the 5th Circuit Court, which means  that Jamie's fight is far from over.

"I'm proud of what we  accomplished today," said Sen. Franken. "Victims of 
sexual assault  deserve their day in court and no corporation should be able 
to deny  them that right. Jamie's courage in telling her story will help 
women  all over this country and I'm honored to have been a part of  that."

"I am highly honored that Senator Franken and his wife  have created this 
amendment to ensure that others do not have to endure  the suffering that I 
have," said Jones. "This amendment makes all the  hard times that I have gone 
through, when going public with such a  personal tragedy, worth every tear 
shed from telling and retelling my  horrific experience. I know this 
amendment will save so many in the  future."

Specifically, Sen. Franken's amendment:

    *   Does not require contractors to change or modify existing  
employment contracts. It only bars funds to contractors who continue  to use these 
mandatory arbitration clauses in their employment  contracts. 
    *   Narrowly targets the most egregious violations and applies to  
defense contracts, many of which are administered abroad, where women  are the 
most vulnerable and least likely to have support resources.  The amendment 
will apply to many contractors that have already  demonstrated their 
incompetence in efficiently carrying out defense  contracts, and have further 
demonstrated their unwillingness and their  inability to protect women from sexual 
assault. 
    *   Applies to claims arising out of sexual assault, like assault  & 
battery (including rape), intentional infliction of emotional  distress, and 
negligent hiring, retention, and supervision, as well as  Title VII civil 
rights claims, which were specifically designed to  protect vulnerable groups 
in the workplace. 


Leading Minnesota and national organizations who have endorsed  Sen. 
Franken's amendment include the Minnesota Women Lawyers, the  Minnesota Coalition 
Against Sexual Assault, the Sexual Violence Center,  Minnesota NOW, 
Advocates for Human Rights,  the National Alliance  to End Sexual Violence, the 
National Women's Law Center, the National  Partnership for Women and Families, 
the American Association of  University Women, the National Council of La 
Raza, the Leadership  Conference on Civil Rights, and the Consumer Federation 
of America. A  full list of the 61 endorsing organizations is attached.

"Sexual  violence is about a person trying to exercise power and control 
over  another person through unwanted sexual contact and violence," said Pam  
Zeller, Executive Director of the Sexual Violence Center. "In  arbitration 
the intent is to arrive at an agreement. This agreement does  not have to be 
equitable in order to be resolved.  It is also not  intended to resolve a 
criminal matter.  Sexual harassment and  sexual violence inherently have an 
imbalance of power.  Submitting  a victim of sexual harassment, or sexual 
assault, to a process of  arbitration is a revictimization of the victim, and 
minimizes the  seriousness of the crime of sexual assault. The proposed 
amendment by  Senator Franken will protect victims of sexual harassment and sexual 
 violence from being revictimized through the arbitration  process."

"This amendment reflects a critically important  step in safeguarding the 
rights of those who have experienced  discrimination in the form of sexual 
violence, harassment, and  stalking," said Donna Dunn, Executive Director of 
the Minnesota  Coalition Against Sexual Assault. "We know that justice for 
victims of  violence often seems elusive. It is very important that each 
person have  the right to assess and choose the options that they believe best 
fit  their needs. This amendment is a giant step in that direction."  

"No survivor of sexual assault should be denied the ability to  seek 
justice," said Terri Poore, Policy Chair of the National Alliance  to End Sexual 
Violence. "Asking a victim to enter into arbitration with  someone who raped 
her or a company that wouldn't protect her is  outrageous and sends a clear 
message that such violence is simply not  taken seriously." 

Minnesota Organizations Endorsing the Franken  Amendment (SA 2588)


Advocates for Human Rights
Breaking  Free
Casa de Esperanza
Mid Minnesota Legal Assistance
Minnesota  Coalition against Sexual Assault
Minnesota Indian Women's Resource  Center
Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition
Minnesota  National Organization for Women
Minnesota Women Lawyers
Sexual  Violence Center
National Organizations Endorsing the Franken  Amendment (SA 2588)
AFL-CIO
Alliance for Justice
American  Association for Justice
American Association of University  Women
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
American Federation of  Government Employees, AFL-CIO
Americans for Democratic  Action
Break the Cycle
Campaign for Contract Agriculture  Reform
Consumer Action
Consumer Federation of America
Consumers  for Auto Reliability and Safety
Consumers Union
Equal Justice  Society
Family Violence Prevention Fund
Feminist  Majority
Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings
HomeOwners for  Better Building
Human Rights Campaign
International Brotherhood of  Teamsters
Jamie Leigh Foundation
Lawyers Committee for Civil  Rights Under Law
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
Legal  Momentum
National Alliance to End Sexual Assault
National Alliance  to End Sexual Violence
National Asian Pacific American Women's  Forum
National Association of Consumer Advocates
National Center  for Transgender Equality
National Center for Victims of  Crime
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National  Council of La Raza
National Council of Women's  Organizations
National Employment Law Project
National Employment  Lawyers Association
National Health Law Program
National Network  to End Domestic Violence
National Organization for Women
National  Partnership for Women and Families
National Research Center for Women  & Families 
National Senior Citizens Law Center
National  Women's Law Center
NCCNHR: The National Consumer Voice for Quality  Long-Term Care
Public Citizen
Rural Advancement Foundation  International-USA
Service Employees International Union  (SEIU)
Stop Family Violence
Take Back Your Rights PAC
U.S.  PIRG
Wider Opportunities for Women
Women's Research and Education  Institute
 
###
 
 

Together, we can  www.stopfamilyviolence.org
Irene  Weiser



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