Political Quotes

“I thank the chairman for his leadership on this important issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 630, my legislation to begin to deal with the sexual harassment issue. Thirty years ago, in 1988, a 34-year-old legislative aide named Dorena Bertussi faced a very lonely fight when she decided to stand up to a powerful Congressman, Jim Bates from California, who repeatedly sexually harassed her and others in his office with questions, comments, and actions such as asking her what type of sex she liked and saying different things that he would imagine. He talked about her breasts. He humped her leg in front of the staff and said vulgar things that are really too unpleasant to talk about in this body. Dorena didn't get a lot of press attention or some of the support that victims get today. She got little support from this body. She went on her journey alone. She received nasty phone calls and even threats. She was warned they would release damaging information about her. Fortunately, she prevailed. Men and women in the workplace should know her name and know she was the first woman to win a sexual harassment case against a Member of Congress. Let's remember, as we see all these headlines about men leaving their jobs and things going on, behind all of them are women who are victims like Dorena. There is a lot of pain in dealing with such a situation. In speaking with her recently, I could hear that pain even 30 years later.…”