House Speaker Mike Johnson Co-Leads Bipartisan Push to Reform Sexual Misconduct Policies

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) are backing a joint effort to overhaul the House’s sexual-misconduct rules. The proposal is organized by the Republican Women’s Caucus and the Democratic Women’s Caucus and is co-chaired by Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM). The plan calls for a systematic review of reporting mechanisms, workplace culture, and disciplinary procedures, with the goal of introducing new legislative safeguards.

The Hill

In early 2024, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) resigned after staff members alleged sexual harassment, renewing scrutiny of existing protections. The House previously responded to the #MeToo movement in 2018 by prohibiting lawmakers from having sexual relationships with staff and by requiring members to reimburse the Treasury for settlements arising from misconduct claims. Those rules remain the baseline for the current reform push. The resignations sparked bipartisan calls for stronger accountability mechanisms and heightened media attention on workplace safety.

The Hill

Johnson stressed that “all women should feel safe in Congress,” noting his personal stake as a father of two daughters working on Capitol Hill. Jeffries said the Democratic caucus offers “complete and unequivocal support” for an ironclad policy that would guarantee a professional environment for staff. Cammack called for a comprehensive review of reporting systems and workplace culture. Leger Fernández emphasized that the effort will make reporting faster, more accessible, and will expand education and training for staff and survivors. Both leaders indicated that the reforms would be introduced to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform within weeks.

TND - The National Desk

• “No woman — regardless of party, title, or position — should ever feel unsafe in her workplace. Period,” — Kat Cammack, Rep., R-FL, Chair of the Republican Women’s Caucus

TND - The National Desk

• “Together, we will push for bipartisan changes to make the reporting process faster and more accessible and increase education and training resources, prioritizing staff and survivors at every step,” — Teresa Leger Fernández, Rep., D-NM, Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus

TND - The National Desk

• “To state the obvious, all women should feel comfortable and safe working in the halls of Congress.” — Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House

The Hill

• “We support an ironclad policy so we can bring about a safe, professional atmosphere for all Congressional staff members,” — Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader

TND - The National Desk

The bipartisan team plans to draft concrete reform language for House consideration later this session, with hearings on reporting procedures and training programs slated before a floor vote. The proposals are slated for referral to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform for further refinement before a floor vote.

The Hill