New legislation introduced aims to regulate relationships between House lawmakers and their staff following recent exposés on Capitol Hill. Representative Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, is set to propose two bills to define permissible interactions between lawmakers and House employees.
One proposed resolution seeks to prohibit House members from engaging in sexual relationships with any chamber employees. The other bill would prevent lawmakers from cohabiting with House employees, with the exception of married couples living together.
“If you’re a Member of Congress, your priorities should be serving your constituents and this country, not fooling around with staff,” Rep. Nancy Mace told Fox News Digital.
The proposed ban targets all members, but Mace noted it primarily addresses male lawmakers exploiting power over female staff. Mace emphasized that Congress should not be seen as a personal dating pool, suggesting lawmakers unable to serve without pursuing relationships with staff should find other employment.
The second piece of legislation addresses concerns about conflicts of interest, stipulating that no staffer should share a home with the person who controls their employment. Mace argued that such arrangements are inappropriate and overdue for prohibition.
Recent scandals highlight the bill’s context, including news of Senator Ruben Gallego from Arizona. Reports revealed Gallego’s past relationships with two House staffers when he remained unmarried and the staffers were not directly under his supervision. In another case, former Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, faced allegations of misconduct and resigned from a gubernatorial race amidst personal admissions of mistakes. Similarly, Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas resigned following scrutiny over an affair with a staff member.
Moreover, Representative Chuck Edwards, a Republican from North Carolina, is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for sexual harassment allegations, which he denies.
These incidents have spurred congressional responses, with several lawmakers endorsing limits on relationships between House members and staff. Representatives Kat Cammack of Florida, Jeff Crank of Colorado, and Lisa McClain of Michigan, along with Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, also support such constraints. Cammack and Crank have put forth legislation to restrict this behavior.
Politics reporter Elizabeth Elkind covers developments for Fox News Digital, with contributions to Daily Mail and CBS News. Follow her reporting on Twitter at @liz_elkind or reach out via email at [email protected] for tips.