Senate Passes Collins Co-Sponsored Bill to Empower Sexual Assault and Harassment Survivors

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill – cosponsored by U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) – to stop perpetrators from using predispute arbitration agreements to push survivors of sexual assault and harassment into private arbitration proceedings.

“Survivors of sexual assault and harassment should not be forced to pursue their claims through private arbitration, rather than in court,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan legislation will prohibit arbitration clauses that prevent survivors of sexual violence from pursuing justice in the forum of their choice. I look forward to President Biden signing our legislation into law.”

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act will invalidate forced arbitration clauses that prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment survivors from seeking justice and public accountability in court under the laws meant to protect them.

The bill was introduced by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).  In addition to Senator Collins, the bill was cosponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Kennedy (R-LA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Rob Portman (R-OH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Jack Reed (D-RI).

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