Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced legislation Thursday that would bar House lawmakers from having sexual relationships with staff members and from living with chamber employees, except for married couples. The move comes after a series of scandals involving members of both parties have shaken Capitol Hill and fueled demands for stricter ethics rules. Mace, a Republican, said the measures are necessary to end what she described as an abuse of power by lawmakers who treat Congress as a personal dating pool.
The first proposal is a House resolution that would explicitly prohibit any sexual contact between a member of the House and any employee of the chamber. The second bill would prohibit lawmakers from residing with House employees, though it exempts married couples who live together. Mace stressed that the ban applies to all members regardless of gender but noted that it is particularly aimed at male lawmakers who, she argued, have used their positions to exploit female staff members.
In a statement, Mace said, «Congress is not your personal dating pool. If you can\'t do your job without hitting on staff, find another job and leave the women you work with alone.» She added that no staffer should ever have to go home at night to the person who signs their paycheck, calling such arrangements «inappropriate» and a «conflict of interest.» She said the prohibition should have been enacted decades ago.
The legislation is a direct response to a string of high-profile incidents that have drawn public scrutiny. Senator Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat, was recently reported to have had sexual relationships with two House staffers earlier in his career. His supporters argued that the relationships occurred when he was unmarried and that the staffers did not work for him at the time. Former Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, faced sexual misconduct and rape allegations that ended his gubernatorial ambitions and led to his resignation from Congress. Swalwell denied the accusations but admitted to making personal mistakes and apologized to his wife in a public statement.
On the Republican side, former Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas resigned after an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide. Representative Chuck Edwards of North Carolina is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied. The cumulative effect of these scandals has prompted lawmakers to reevaluate the rules governing relationships between members and staff.
Mace\'s bills have gained support from several colleagues. Representatives Kat Cammack of Florida, Jeff Crank of Colorado, Lisa McClain of Michigan, and Speaker Mike Johnson have all endorsed limits on such relationships. Cammack and Crank have also introduced their own legislation on the matter. The endorsements indicate a growing bipartisan consensus that current rules are insufficient.
Existing House rules do not explicitly prohibit sexual relationships between members and staff, though they do address conflicts of interest and workplace harassment. Critics say the ambiguity allows misconduct to go unchecked. Proponents of Mace\'s resolution argue that a clear prohibition is essential to protect staffers from coercion and to maintain professional standards in the workplace. The resolution would amend House rules and require a majority vote on the floor. The companion bill would need to pass through the legislative process as a standalone law.
Mace emphasized that the problem is not new but has been ignored for too long. She said that the power imbalance between lawmakers and their employees creates an environment ripe for abuse. By introducing these measures, she hopes to send a clear message that Congress must hold itself to higher standards of conduct.
