All 22 female senators sign letter pressuring McConnell, Schumer to advance sexual harassment legislation

All 22 women in the Senate — Democrats and Republicans alike — have come together to skewer the chamber's "inaction" on sexual harassment legislation, CNN reports. "We write to express our deep disappointment that the Senate has failed to enact meaningful reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995," the letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) says. "We urge you to bring before the full Senate legislation that would update and strengthen the procedures available to survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination in congressional workplaces."

The legislation would require in part for lawmakers to personally pay settlements after reports that some politicians were using taxpayer dollars as hush money.

The recent spending bill, likely the last major legislation of the year, was seen as a final opportunity to get something done about harassment reforms in Congress. The legislation did not ultimately make it in the omnibus package.

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"We are going to get something done," said Schumer last week. "It's a very important issue and we're going to get something done in the next little while."