Washington, D.C. - October 17, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement on the National Park Service’s report on sexual harassment within the agency:
“I am deeply disturbed by this report, which details an unacceptable culture of sexual harassment and hostile work environments at the National Park Service. The incidents described in the report, and the lack of action to address them, should concern all of us.
“Every employee has the right to a safe workplace that is free from harassment. The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service must take steps to finally end this widespread pattern of workplace harassment. As they address this issue, I will work with my colleagues in Congress to hold the Department accountable and ensure that no employee ever faces the kind of mistreatment and abuse outlined in this report.”
In the fiscal year 2017 Interior-Environment appropriations bill, Congresswoman McCollum secured language that instructed the Department of the Interior to report to Congress on corrective steps being taken to address harassment and implement strong and consistent anti-harassment policies.
Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Donald McEachin (VA-04) – the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee who requested a congressional hearing on sexual harassment at the National Park Service (NPS) in June – released the following statement on a NPS survey in which 38 percent of employees report experiencing some form of sexual harassment:
“Dumping this news on a Friday afternoon, without any clear next steps, suggests this administration still isn’t taking this problem as seriously as it should,” said Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva. “Stopping sexual harassment will require changing the agency’s culture, which has survived through administrations of both political parties, and that won’t happen unless Secretary Zinke makes this a genuine priority. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that Secretary Zinke takes command of ending sexual harassment, and I stand ready to work with Chairman Bishop to hold a hearing on this employee survey and next steps from the Interior Department as soon as possible.”
“I have repeatedly asked Secretary Zinke, both in person and through written correspondence, to prioritize addressing the culture of sexual harassment that has permeated the NPS,” said Congressman Donald McEachin. “This problem is far too serious and has gone on for far too long. We need long-term, systemic solutions. I urge Secretary Zinke to listen closely to the survey results and quickly implement changes that will eliminate all forms of sexual harassment in the NPS. I also implore Chairmen Bishop and Westerman to heed requests to hold congressional hearings to remedy this issue further.”
Among other actions, Natural Resources Committee Democrats requested the initial NPS employee survey as well as its expansion to include seasonal employees; previously requested a hearing on the issue; and, in a budget hearing earlier this year, highlighted the administration’s failure to make an exception to Zinke’s hiring ban to deal with the backlog of sexual harassment cases.
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Interior's Ryan Zinke cracks down on discrimination and sexual harassment at national parks
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