Congress isn't doing enough to protect staff from sexual misconduct, lawmakers say

CongressCongress isn't doing enough to protect staff from sexual misconduct, lawmakers saySome female lawmakers are taking action, providing forums for staffers to report sexual misconduct while pushing for larger reforms.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Capitol Hill is engaged in a new reckoning about how it handles sexual misconduct.Alex Wroblewski / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 17, 2026, 4:23 PM EDTBy Melanie Zanona and Scott WongWASHINGTON — In the absence of a central place on Capitol Hill to report workplace harassment, some female lawmakers have taken action themselves. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Following the sexual misconduct scandals surrounding former Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who both resigned this week, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., publicly assured all Hill staffers they could come to her office with complaints if they did not feel comfortable going to their own bosses.So far, she says she has received at least one unverified allegation involving a senator, which she flagged to Senate GOP Leader John Thune’s office. The matter has since been forwarded to the Senate Ethics Committee, Thune, R-S.D., said.The ad hoc effort to create a safe space for staffers underscores how challenging it can still be to report sexual misconduct in Congress — an institution that has long struggled to police itself.Add NBC News to GoogleExtended Interview: How an Influencer Took Down Swalwell25:03Recognizing the problem, Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., a member of the House Administration Committee, which oversees workplace issues on the Hill, last year launched a page on her own website where whistleblowers can report sexual harassment, assault or misconduct. She said her team has communicated to other offices that this is a place where staffers can report inappropriate behavior on Capitol Hill, including by members...