Task Force Says Congress Harassment Reporting System Is Built to Silence Staff

A bipartisan task force reviewing how Congress handles sexual harassment says the reporting system on Capitol Hill leaves staff unsure where to turn and doubtful that anyone will be punished, and that parts of the process work against the people who file complaints.

The working group is led by Rep. Kat Cammack, a Florida Republican, and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, a New Mexico Democrat. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries appointed the two lawmakers, who chair their parties' women's caucuses, after a spike in House Ethics Committee investigations this year.

What the task force heard

Cammack said former staffers contacted the group as soon as the work began this spring. They "came out of the woodwork," she said, and had stayed silent because it was well established that coming forward would end a career they had worked hard to build.

"Those were some of the hardest conversations to have," Cammack said. "And the stories were gut-wrenching."

Their findings, described to The Associated Press, are blunt. Victims are unclear about where they can go for help. They do not trust that there will be repercussions for a perpetrator. Reporting requirements can work against them, including a 180-day deadline for filing a claim after an alleged violation.

"It's a disaster," Cammack said. "The entire system on Capitol Hill is really designed to create a chilling effect for victims."

A year of ethics cases

The review follows an unusual run of cases. Three lawmakers resigned this year rather than face the prospect of an expulsion vote, and two of those cases involved alleged sexual misconduct. In April, the Ethics Committee began investigating then-Rep. Eric Swalwell of California over alleged sexual misconduct toward an employee under his supervision, and Swalwell soon resigned. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas also resigned while the committee investigated alleged sexual misconduct toward an employee in his office. Gonzales had acknowledged an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide.

Most recently, the committee recommended the censure of Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina after an investigation concluded he engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers. The House accepted the recommendation by a vote of 413 to 2.

Two further investigations are continuing. Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California is under investigation over whether he engaged in sexual misconduct with a House staffer. Gomez said he would cooperate, stressed that his actions were consensual and did not violate the law or House rules, and apologized to his family and constituents. The committee is also investigating whether Rep. Cory Mills of Florida engaged in sexual misconduct or dating violence, among other allegations. Mills has denied the allegations.

Reforms on the table

Congress last overhauled its rules in 2018, in legislation that required lawmakers to reimburse the Treasury for awards and settlements in sexual harassment cases and gave staff access to a dedicated advocate to guide them through a claim with the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.

The task force wants to go further. Lawmakers are already banned from sexual relationships with staff in their own offices or on their committees. The group wants that ban expanded to cover all congressional staff.

"If you are looking to advance your love life on Capitol Hill, you're there for the wrong reason, in my opinion," said Cammack, who worked as a congressional aide before winning election to the House.

The group also wants a simpler way to report. "I call it a 911 for sexual harassment line that you can make one call and find out what all the alternative options might be for somebody," Leger Fernandez said.

Other ideas include giving alleged victims more time to file a complaint. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces a 180-day window that can extend to 300 days where a state or local anti-discrimination law applies. Extending the deadline in Congress would mean updating the Congressional Accountability Act, which applies many private sector employment laws to Congress, and that would require Senate agreement. The group is also looking at stronger accountability for lawmakers and senior staff who engage in harassment.

"The fact that we're still trying to insist that it is not OK to sexually abuse or harass women in 2026 is outrageous, and if you're a woman, is so incredibly frustrating and sad," Leger Fernandez said.

The task force is expected to release its recommended changes after the Nov. 3 elections, with a goal of taking action before the end of the year.