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Franken rape amendment clears key hurdle
Posted by: Eric Roper under Minnesota U.S. senators Updated: December 16, 2009 - 4:00 PM
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Almost six months into his first term, Al Franken's most well-known piece of legislation is on track to become law.
Even Americans who don't closely follow the freshman senator have likely heard about his so-called "rape" amendment, which cuts funding to defense contractors that prevent employees from suing over sexual assault and other grievances.
A group of Republican senators who voted against the amendment this summer were vilified by liberals for not supporting rape victims, and those lawmakers subsequently hit back with a sharp rebuke of Franken, accusing him of essentially orchestrating the sticky political situation.
Despite reports that some concerns from the Pentagon would kill or soften the amendment in the final defense bill, Hot Dish has learned this morning that it remains almost entirely intact after being combined with the House bill in conference.
The bill, released yesterday, includes Franken's original language -- though it tacks on a caveat that the restriction only applies to contractors receiving more than $1 million. It also allows the Secretary of Defense to waive the resritriction for a certain contractor for national security reasons. You can read it here (page 113).
Since the amendment is now out of conference, its opponents can't do much to stop it except vote against defense spending (not likely). It is slated for a vote in the House this afternoon and will likely reach the floor of the Senate this week.
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