Directing Members required to reimburse the Treasury for payments related to certain claims to appear before the Clerk for public disclosure of the reasons for the reimbursement.
- Bill Number
- H.Res. 1164
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Congress
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-14T08:08:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This House Resolution (H. Res. 1164) aims to increase transparency and accountability for current and former House Members (including Delegates and Resident Commissioners) who must repay the U.S. Treasury for taxpayer funds used in settlements or awards related to sexual harassment or misconduct claims. These claims violate House Rules (clauses 9 and 18 of rule XXIII), which prohibit discrimination, sexual harassment, and certain relationships with subordinates. The resolution requires public disclosure of these obligations through readings on the House floor.
Key Provisions
- Report Distribution: After the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR, an independent body handling workplace disputes) sends a report to the Committee on House Administration listing required reimbursements under the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA, a law applying workplace protections to Congress), the Committee forwards it to the Clerk. The Clerk shares copies with affected Members/former Members and the Sergeant-at-Arms.
- Public Reading Requirement:
- Affected Members must personally appear in the House chamber ("well of the House") during a session.
- The Clerk publicly reads the Member's name, reimbursement amount, payment status, and relevant report details.
- Scheduled no earlier than 14 days after the Clerk receives the report and after the Member confirms availability.
- Enforcement for Current Members:
- Non-compliance within 30 days suspends committee work and leadership duties (e.g., Speaker, Leaders, caucus roles), as decided by the Speaker or Minority Leader.
- Clerk notifies leadership and committees of non-compliance.
- Non-compliance or deception is a separate issue for the House Ethics Committee.
- Provisions for Former Members:
- Barred from the House chamber and adjacent rooms until reimbursement is complete.
- Regain access only after undergoing the public reading (with Clerk assistance if needed); Sergeant-at-Arms is notified of restoration.
- Definitions: "Member" includes Delegates and Resident Commissioners.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Builds on existing requirements under the CAA (2 U.S.C. 1415(d)), where Members must repay Treasury for misconduct-related payments.
- Introduces new mechanisms: Mandatory public floor readings, automatic suspensions for non-compliance, and access restrictions for former Members. No prior rule mandated such public disclosures or immediate penalties tied to OCWR reports.
Potential Impacts
- House Operations: Disrupts committee work and leadership for non-compliant Members; increases administrative burden on Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, and committees.
- Members and Former Members: Heightens personal and professional consequences through public exposure and privilege loss.
- Citizens/Taxpayers: Promotes transparency on use of public funds for harassment settlements, potentially building trust in Congress.
- No notable impacts on government agencies beyond House entities or international relations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Current/Former House Members: Primary targets, especially those with OCWR-reported reimbursements.
- House Officials: Clerk (conducts readings), Sergeant-at-Arms (enforces access), Committee on House Administration (distributes reports), Speaker/Minority Leader (enforce suspensions), Ethics Committee (investigates non-compliance).
- OCWR: Triggers process via reports.
- Public: Gains access to disclosure information.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Treats reimbursement reports as triggers for enforceable House actions; separates compliance failures from original claims for Ethics review, avoiding overlap.
- Constitutional: Relies on Congress's internal rulemaking authority (Article I); public readings and suspensions are disciplinary tools akin to existing House precedents, but could face challenges if seen as infringing free speech—though tied to rule violations.
- Political: Sponsored by four Republican Members; enforces anti-harassment rules but applies House-wide, potentially amplifying partisan debates on accountability without altering underlying laws. Remains a resolution (internal House rule), not binding statute.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
Cosponsors (12)
Rep. Brecheen, Josh [R-OK-2], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1], Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27], Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Ellzey, Jake [R-TX-6], Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9], Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4], Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1], Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3], Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4], Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-13: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-13: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Directing Members required to reimburse the Treasury for payments related to certain claims to appear before the Clerk for public disclosure of the reasons for the reimbursement. — issued 2026-04-13 — PDF (7 pages)