Sponsors (12)
The bill shifts fiscal responsibility and increases public disclosure and criminal/civil enforcement for misconduct by Members and senior staff — improving taxpayer accountability and victim privacy protections — but may reduce victims' practical ability to collect awards, create incentives for opaque workarounds and reputational harms, and impose administrative and enforcement costs.
Taxpayers and the public: federal funds will no longer be used to pay workplace-misconduct settlements by Members of Congress or senior staff — financial responsibility shifts to Members/offices and campaign funds are banned, with certification requirements to deter misuse.
Taxpayers and the public: faster, public, searchable disclosures of settlements (including historical settlements back to 1995) increase transparency and allow the public to see patterns of congressional workplace misconduct.
Victims and the public: mandatory referrals of allegations of criminal conduct to DOJ and authorization for the Attorney General to bring civil enforcement actions strengthen independent legal enforcement beyond internal congressional channels.
Victims who win discrimination or harassment lawsuits: may be unable to collect damages if individual Members or offices lack the funds to pay settlements (campaign funds banned), reducing meaningful access to remedies.
Taxpayers and oversight: shifting payment responsibility may incentivize private/off-books arrangements, use of private insurance, or other opaque payments that circumvent transparency and reduce oversight of settlements.
Members, staff, and the public: public naming and publication of settlement amounts can harm reputations even without adjudication, and may deter settlements or prompt more litigation as parties seek to avoid disclosure.
Based on analysis of 10 sections of legislative text.
Stops federal funds from paying settlements for workplace misconduct by Members or senior congressional staff, makes them personally liable, requires public disclosures, and mandates DOJ referrals.
Official title: To prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for settlements of workplace misconduct claims involving Members of Congress or senior staff of the House of Representatives or the Senate, require personal financial accountability, ensure transparency of past settlements while protecting victims, and mandate referral of criminal allegations to the Department of Justice, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 15, 2026 by Paul Gosar · Last progress April 15, 2026
Prohibits any federal funds from being used to pay settlements, awards, or judgments arising from workplace misconduct claims by Members of Congress or senior House or Senate staff, and requires those individuals to be personally responsible for such payments. Creates public disclosure requirements for settlements, mandates referrals to the Department of Justice for possible criminal violations, and establishes civil penalties and DOJ enforcement authority for violations. Also requires the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate to publish a searchable database of resolved claims (with privacy protections for complainants), to disclose historic settlements back to 1995, and to bar nondisclosure agreements or internal processes from blocking DOJ referrals. The Act becomes effective on the date of enactment and applies to claims pending on or after that date.