Franken Praises Initial Implementation Of Jamie Leigh Jones Law
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) today praised the initial implementation of the new Jamie Leigh Jones law, legislation he authored to bar the federal government from doing business with defense contractors that force workers into mandatory arbitration in the case of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination.
"I'm pleased to see the spirit and the scope of the Jamie Leigh Jones provision is preserved and protected by the new Department of Defense regulation," said Sen. Franken "If the final rule looks like these initial regulations, it will go a long way toward correcting a horrendous injustice. It will ensure that Jamie Leigh Jones and other victims of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination will be allowed their day in court."
The law began as an amendment that Franken offered to the FY2010 Defense Department Appropriations bill after being inspired by the case of Jamie Leigh Jones. The Franken amendment took effect 60 days after the Defense Department Appropriations bill was enacted -- a date that arrived this week.
The Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy (DPAP) on Wednesday issued what is called a class deviation implementing the Jamie Leigh Jones amendment provision. This is a preliminary regulation that will be succeeded by an interim rule in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and ultimately by a final DFARS rule.