H.R. 4445 117th Congress House

Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021

Official title: To amend title 9 of the United States Code with respect to arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Introduced: September 29, 2021 See on congress.gov

Law Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitrationAssault and harassment offensesContracts and agencyCrime victims

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

Employment discrimination and employee rightsLabor-management relationsSex offensesSex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

Everywhere this bill has been 25 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Mar 3, 2022

Signed by President.

Mar 3, 2022

Became Public Law No: 117-90.

Mar 2, 2022

Presented to President.

Feb 10, 2022

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

Feb 10, 2022

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Feb 10, 2022

Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S621-628)

Feb 8, 2022

Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 264.

Feb 7, 2022

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of agreeing to the Buck amendment, which was debated earlier an on which further proceedings had been postponed.

Feb 7, 2022

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3485, H.R. 4445 and H.R. 4521. The rule provides for one hour of general debate on H.R. 3485 and H.R. 4445. The rule provides for two hours of general debate on H.R. 4521. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit for all three bills. The resolution amends H. Res. 188 by striking February 4, 2022 and inserting April 1, 2022. Also, the resolution provides that proceedings may be postponed through March 3, 2022 on measures that were the object of motions to suspend the rules on the legislative day of February 1, 2022, and on which the yeas and nays were ordered.

Feb 7, 2022

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Feb 7, 2022

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 335 - 97 (Roll no. 33). (text: CR: H984)

Feb 7, 2022

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H994-995)

Feb 7, 2022

Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, further proceedings on H.R. 4445 were postponed.

Feb 7, 2022

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Buck amendment, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Jordan demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.

Feb 7, 2022

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 900, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Buck amendment.

Feb 7, 2022

DEBATE - The House continued with debate on H.R. 4445.

Feb 7, 2022

DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4445.

Feb 7, 2022

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 900. (consideration: CR H983-993)

Feb 2, 2022

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 900 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3485, H.R. 4445 and H.R. 4521. The rule provides for one hour of general debate on H.R. 3485 and H.R. 4445. The rule provides for two hours of general debate on H.R. 4521. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit for all three bills. The resolution amends H. Res. 188 by striking February 4, 2022 and inserting April 1, 2022. Also, the resolution provides that proceedings may be postponed through March 3, 2022 on measures that were the object of motions to suspend the rules on the legislative day of February 1, 2022, and on which the yeas and nays were ordered.

Jan 28, 2022

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 169.

Jan 28, 2022

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-234.

Nov 17, 2021

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 14.

Nov 17, 2021

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Jul 16, 2021

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Jul 16, 2021

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Feb 7, 2022	House · vote #33	On Passage	Passed	335–97	See who voted →

Amendments to this bill 2

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

2 agreed to

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Status	Latest action
HAMDT 171	–	Amendment clarifies that, for the purposes of the bill, sexual harassment dispute is defined as a dispute rel…	Agreed to	Feb 7, 2022
HAMDT 170	–	Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 900, the amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text…	Agreed to	Feb 7, 2022

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Latest action March 3, 2022

Became Public Law No: 117-90.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021

This bill invalidates arbitration agreements that preclude a party from filing a lawsuit in court involving sexual assault or sexual harassment, at the election of the party alleging such conduct.

Related & companion bills 2

Bill text 6 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Enrolled Bill Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Placed on Calendar Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Public Law Formatted Text PDF United States Legislative Markup
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 1

Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 25

Adams, Alma S.

North Carolina · Jan 28, 2022

Salazar, Maria Elvira

Florida · Jan 28, 2022

Owens, Burgess

Utah · Jan 25, 2022

Torres, Norma J.

California · Jan 25, 2022

Williams, Nikema

Georgia · Jan 25, 2022

Garbarino, Andrew R.

New York · Jan 10, 2022

Florida · Sep 29, 2021

New Jersey · Sep 29, 2021

Buck, Ken

· Sep 28, 2021

Fitzpatrick, Brian K.

Pennsylvania · Aug 24, 2021

Newman, Marie

· Aug 6, 2021

Smith, Christopher H.

New Jersey · Aug 6, 2021

Virginia · Jul 16, 2021

Jayapal, Pramila

Washington · Jul 16, 2021

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4445: Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-4445/

MLA

"H.R. 4445: Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-4445/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 4445, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-4445/.

Markdown link

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