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TIME: Almanac 1993
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TIME Almanac 1993.iso
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1992-08-28
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NATION, Page 53American NotesCONGRESSDoing the Rights Thing
After nearly two years of political skirmishes with the
White House over racial discrimination and quotas, the Senate
last week voted 95 to 5 to pass a civil rights bill. The House
is expected to act quickly to adopt the compromise bill, which
overrides eight Supreme Court decisions and makes it easier for
employees to sue in job-bias cases. An amendment to extend civil
rights protections to Senate employees caused a last-minute
sideshow of debate. Under the measure, the Senate's 6,000
workers, as well as political appointees in the Executive
Branch, will be able to take their complaints to an office of
fair employment practices. If they fail to resolve their dispute
there, they may appeal to a three-member independent panel and,
ultimately, to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Stung by criticism
over the handling of sexual-harassment charges against Supreme
Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the Senate passed the measure to
deflect criticism that Congress exempts itself from laws it
applies to everyone else.