In a largely bipartisan vote, the United States Senate this afternoon passed a measure ensuring American employees of defense contractors the ability to sue their employers and attackers over sexual assaults. United States Senator Richard Burr opposed the measure.

“Richard Burr owes the people of North Carolina an immediate explanation for why he stood in the way of a common sense measure that would protect taxpayer dollars from going to companies that force employees to resolve sexual assault allegations and other claims through arbitration, instead of allowing them their day in court,” said Eric Schultz, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Communications Director. “Richard Burr is choosing special interests over justice and the interests of the American taxpayers.”

AP: Senate OKs measure related to KBR assault claim
10/6/09
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6655217.html#

WASHINGTON — The Senate has approved an amendment prohibiting government contracts with companies that require employees to resolve sexual assault allegations and other claims through arbitration.

The measure sponsored by Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota was attached to a larger defense spending bill. It passed on a vote of 68-30 Tuesday. A vote on the larger bill was expected later Tuesday.

Franken says he sponsored the measure in response to the case of former KBR employee Jamie Leigh Jones.

Jones alleges she was raped by coworkers while working in Iraq. She went public with her story in 2007.

Jones is suing Halliburton Co. and its former subsidiary KBR. The company says her employment agreement requires her to resolve the claim through arbitration.