The House passed H.R.4924, which reforms the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to require members to reimburse the Treasury Department when they are involved in settlements; automatically refers cases that have settled to the House Ethics Committee; extends workplace protections to unpaid staff, including interns; gives staffers the ability to file a lawsuit at the same time as they file a complaint; and tweaks how records are kept and claims are tracked, including transmitting reports to the ethics committee.

Those in favor of this legislation argue that tax payers should not foot the bill when a member of Congress acts in such a way and then pays out a settlement to their victims. Supporters feel in those instances the settlements should come directly out of the pocket of the elected representative.

Those against argue that these instances are not always clear cut. Many feel that because of the office they hold members of Congress are targets for many different reasons. Opponents point out that in many cases an elected representative may be innocent but it is cheaper to pay out a settlement and move on than to drag it through court and pay court and attorney fees.

Since October, four members of Congress have resigned over allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct.