The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a resolution to force the disclosure of records on confidential sexual harassment settlements on behalf of members of Congress. This move is part of a broader effort to increase accountability and transparency on Capitol Hill regarding sexual misconduct, an issue that has garnered support from both sides of the aisle.

Background

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie initiated the vote, expressing his belief that the documents and information previously turned over to lawmakers were insufficient. The measure was approved with 420 votes, with one GOP lawmaker voting present. The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights had already been compelled to turn over settlement documents to Congress following a subpoena from GOP Rep. Nancy Mace earlier this year.

These documents revealed that taxpayers paid over half a million dollars in confidential congressional sexual harassment settlements dating back decades. However, Massie believes there may be more records that the office can publicize. The resolution calls for both the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights and the House Ethics Committee to turn over information.

From January 1, 1996, through December 12, 2018, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights approved 349 awards or settlements to resolve complaints against legislative branch offices. Eighty of those cases were settled by a House or Senate office for various reasons, with seven cases leading to payments to address allegations of sexual harassment. These payments were made using taxpayer money from a Treasury account that no longer exists as an option for lawmakers due to policy changes made in 2018 following the #MeToo movement.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.