US House leaders announce bipartisan effort to combat sexual misconduct in Congress

The House speaker, Mike Johnson, and the minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, on Wednesday announced a bipartisan effort to combat sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill.The “partnership” led by the chairs of the Republican and Democratic women’s caucuses – congresswomen Kat Cammack of Florida and Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico – aims to “identify reforms and solutions to make Congress a safer work environment for women and all survivors”, the leaders said in a joint statement.“No woman – regardless of party, title, or position – should ever feel unsafe in her workplace. Period,” Cammack said in a statement announcing the taskforce.The initiative comes after former representative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat, stepped down from Congress in April, following multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct that ended his bid for California governor. Shortly after, Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, also resigned after acknowledging an extramarital affair with a staffer and facing a growing threat of expulsion from his colleagues. At least two sitting lawmakers face active ethics investigations, part of a reckoning not seen on Capitol Hill since the #MeToo movement, when a wave of lawmakers resigned in quick succession amid allegations sexual harassment and misconduct.“As a father who has two daughters working on Capitol Hill – this is as personal to me as it is to anyone,” Johnson said, praising the House lawmakers who are leading the effort he hopes will “make Capitol Hill safer for women and all staff”.Jeffries said the House leaders “support an ironclad policy so we can bring about a safe, professional atmosphere for all congressional staff members”.According to the announcement, proposed reforms from the women’s caucuses will be developed in coordination with the House administration committee, which has jurisdiction over the internal management of the chamber, including workplace polices and protections.“It is sickening that Congressmen sexually harassed and assaulted women staff instead of treating them with the respect they deserved,” Fernández said in the statement. “We know these women are not alone – women across America have been sexually assaulted and harassed by men at work who think they will never face any consequences. We will continue to stand with survivors, break the silence, and fight for a future free of sexual misconduct – in Congress and everywhere across this country.”Fernández added that the bipartisan taskforce would push for changes to make process of reporting sexual misconduct “faster and more accessible” as well as increasing “education and training resources”.