House of Representatives Approves Measure for Disclosure of Sexual Harassment Settlement Records

On June 30, 2026, the House of Representatives passed a resolution aimed at requiring the disclosure of records related to sexual harassment settlements funded by taxpayer money. The resolution, introduced by Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), mandates that the House Ethics Committee preserve and publicly release records concerning monetary settlements related to sexual misconduct. Massie highlighted concerns that existing reporting requirements may still allow some settlements to remain undisclosed. He noted that there have been no reported cases of lawmakers repaying sexual harassment settlements since the implementation of these requirements in 2018. The resolution directs the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to report publicly on sexual misconduct cases involving lawmakers and their staff that resulted in taxpayer-funded settlements, including the total amounts spent. The final vote on the resolution was 420 in favor, with one member voting present. Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) was the only lawmaker to vote 'present,' suggesting that the vote was politically motivated, as she had previously revealed that over $330,000 had been paid out by the federal government to settle sexual harassment claims since the early 2000s. Ten lawmakers did not participate in the vote due to the upcoming July 4 recess. This resolution follows previous controversies involving former lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct.