Brent Scher of the Washington Free Beacon highlights a recent decision from congressional Democrats that might surprise some of their more ardent supporters.
House Democrats on Wednesday rejected a Republican proposal to add a provision that would block federal employees who were disciplined for sexual misconduct to receive the same pay raise as the rest of their colleagues.
Republicans attempted to add the provision to legislation proposed by Democrats to give federal workers a 2.6 percent raise. The Republican proposal was to simply stipulate that workers disciplined for sexual misconduct be exempt from the raise.
“During calendar year 2019, no increase in pay as authorized under this Act may be provided to any Federal employee who has been disciplined for sexual misconduct under chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code, or any other provision of law,” read the Republican proposal.
Despite receiving support from 17 Democrats, the proposal was rejected in a 216-206 vote.
A spokesperson for House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) slammed the bill ahead of the vote to adopt the amendment on sexual misconduct.
“As Washington Democrats continue their ill-advised push for unilateral pay raises for federal employees, regardless of their performance, Republicans continue to ask Democrats to amend their legislation,” said Erin Perrine. “Currently this bill treats victims the same as their harassers. That makes no sense.”
