Speaker Mike Johnson Backs Expanding Ban on Lawmaker-Staff Relationships

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters on Tuesday that he would support a prohibition on any sexual relationship between members of Congress and congressional aides, regardless of whether the aide works in the member’s office or on a committee. Johnson’s endorsement would require revising the House Code of Official Conduct, which currently bans relationships only with staff who are direct subordinates or committee staff and includes an exception for married couples. The proposal is being advanced by a bipartisan working group that is drafting a slate of reforms aimed at reducing harassment on Capitol Hill.

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The House adopted its first formal ban in 2018, during the height of the #MeToo movement, limiting relationships to staff members under a lawmaker’s direct supervision or on the same committee. The rule left open the possibility for members to date staff in other offices, a loophole that recent allegations involving Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and other members have brought back into focus. House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain has called for “strict rules” that would extend the prohibition to all staff, citing the inherent power imbalance in any such relationship.

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Rep. Kat Cammack, a Republican from Florida, noted that the working group is “about 70% there” on a list of proposals but emphasized the difficulty of balancing accountability with members’ constitutional role of representation. Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernandez praised the effort, urging that the prohibition cover “ALL staff” to address power dynamics that can lead to abuse.

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• The bipartisan working group reports roughly 70 % of its reform agenda is complete, according to Rep. Kat Cammack.

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• The 2018 rule still permits relationships with staff outside a member’s direct office, creating a partial exemption that the current proposal seeks to close.

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• “I can’t believe it would be acceptable in any situation,” — Speaker Mike Johnson

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• “You have to balance the constitutional role that we have in protecting people back home and their right to representation and bad behavior up here on Washington in on Capitol Hill,” — Rep. Kat Cammack

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• “We should, at a bare minimum in Congress, have, you know, rules and traditions that are adhered to in corporate America,” — Speaker Mike Johnson

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• “Even if a relationship is consensual, there is an inherent power imbalance that can undermine trust and create an appearance of impropriety. The goal should be protecting staff and maintaining confidence in the institution,” — Lisa McClain, GOP conference chair

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