DES MOINES, Iowa – Following the release of a report from the New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office that found New York Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women violating state and federal, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a sexual abuse and domestic violence survivor, filed an amendment to the infrastructure bill dubbed “the Cuomo amendment.”
The amendment would prohibit funds for any state “in which the governor of such State has been found, by the relevant State or Federal authorities, to have sexually harassed employees while holding the position of governor.”
Should the amendment and bill pass, New York State will not receive any of the infrastructure funding. The Senate voted 67 to 32 to take up the $1.2 trillion bill. The 2,072-page bill has been criticized by Republicans, including Ernst, for including Democratic priorities that Republicans say have nothing to do with infrastructure
“A sitting governor who harasses and abuses women on his own staff and members of law enforcement must be held accountable, and shouldn’t be getting a dime of Iowa taxpayer money. Here’s a good place to start,” Ernst tweeted.
A sitting governor who harasses and abuses women on his own staff and members of law enforcement must be held accountable, and shouldn’t be getting a dime of #Iowa taxpayer money. Here’s a good place to start. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/V8OumP4lwH
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) August 4, 2021
Read the amendment below:
DAD3DA8590CA6515B7E7F065D009E52F.2021-08-03-ernst-amendment
