Member Reimbursement Disclosure

Summary#

This House resolution directs steps to publicly disclose reasons why certain Members must repay the U.S. Treasury for payments tied to claims under the Congressional Accountability Act. After the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) files a report with the Committee on House Administration, the Committee must give the report to the Clerk. The Clerk will give the report to each Member or former Member who must reimburse the Treasury and give a copy and a list of those Members to the Sergeant-at-Arms.

Members who receive the report must personally appear in the well of the House and have the Clerk publicly read: the Member's name, the amount of any payment subject to reimbursement, whether the Member has completed reimbursement, and the information in the report related to the payment. The public reading may occur no earlier than 14 days after the Clerk receives the report and on the earliest date after the Member says they are available.

If a Member does not comply within 30 days, the Member must stop participating in committee work and in certain leadership duties until they comply. The Clerk will notify the Speaker, the Minority Leader, and relevant committee leaders about noncompliance. The resolution also says that allegations of failure to comply or of material deception in complying will be treated as a separate matter for the Committee on Ethics.

A former Member who must reimburse may not be admitted to the Hall of the House or rooms leading to it until they complete reimbursement. A former Member who completes reimbursement must carry out the public reading provisions (as if they were a current Member) to have their admission privileges restored. The Clerk will assist and notify the Sergeant-at-Arms as needed. The resolution defines "Member" to include Members, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a current Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner named in the OCWR report, you must appear for a public reading about the reimbursement and related report details, or face limits on committee and leadership duties after 30 days of noncompliance.
  • If you are a former Member named in the report, you cannot enter the Hall of the House until you repay the amounts and complete the public reading procedure.
  • If you are a member of the public, the House will make certain reimbursement details public through readings in the House chamber and distribution of the OCWR report to the Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arms.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The resolution notes that sexual harassment or unwelcome sexual advances by Members violate clauses 9 and 18 of House rules and "reflects poorly on the House." Proponents, as reflected in the resolution text, aim to increase transparency and accountability by making public the names, payment amounts, and related report information for Members who must reimburse the Treasury for certain claim-related payments.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.