357 HOUSE MEMBERS VOTED TO SIDELINE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF CONGRESSIONAL SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT FILES

A 357–65 House vote is back under scrutiny after lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in March to refer a resolution seeking public disclosure of congressional sexual-misconduct investigation records to the House Ethics Committee rather than immediately advancing the disclosure effort.

Introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace, H.Res. 1100 called for the preservation and public release of Ethics Committee records involving alleged sexual harassment, unwelcome sexual advances and sexual assault by House members, while protecting the identities of victims and witnesses. The 357–65 vote sent the measure to the Ethics Committee, effectively sidelining Mace’s immediate push for disclosure.

The controversy intensified as separate records revealed taxpayer-funded settlements connected to former members of Congress or their offices. The issue has fueled renewed debate over congressional transparency, workplace misconduct and whether taxpayers should know when public money has been used to resolve sexual-misconduct claims.

Congress later changed course. On June 30, the House approved another transparency measure with no members voting against it, directing officials to release information identifying lawmakers associated with taxpayer-funded settlements involving sexual harassment or abuse.

The March vote does not establish that the 357 lawmakers were themselves accused of sexual misconduct. What the congressional record does establish is that 357 members voted to refer the disclosure resolution rather than allow Mace’s proposal to immediately move forward.