АНУ-ын Конгрессын гишүүд болон тэдний туслах ажилтнуудын хооронд романтик харилцаа тогтоохыг хориглох асуудлыг хоёр намын төлөөлөл бүхий ажлын хэсэг хэлэлцэж байна.
Флорида мужаас сонгогдсон Бүгд найрамдах намын гишүүн Кэт Кэммак Капитолын ордонд үүсээд буй таагүй уур амьсгалын улмаас өөрийн охиноо тэнд ажиллуулах хүсэлгүй байгаагаа илэрхийлжээ. Тэрээр хууль тогтоогчид болон ажилтнуудын хоорондох эрх мэдлийн тэнцвэргүй байдал нь зохисгүй харилцаа, бэлгийн дарамт үүсэхэд нөлөөлж буйг цохон тэмдэглэсэн байна.
Энэхүү асуудал нь Конгрессын гишүүн Эрик Сволвелл болон Тони Гонзалес нар бэлгийн дарамттай холбоотой дуулианы улмаас дөрөвдүгээр сард албан тушаалаасаа огцорсны дараа эрчимтэй яригдах болсон юм. Төлөөлөгчдийн танхимын дарга Майк Жонсон хууль тогтоогчид болон ажилтнуудын хоорондох романтик харилцааг ямар ч нөхцөлд хүлээн зөвшөөрөх боломжгүй гэсэн байр суурийг илэрхийлжээ.
Одоогоор Төлөөлөгчдийн танхимын дүрэмд гишүүд өөрийн ажилтнуудтай харилцаа тогтоохыг хориглосон байдаг ч ажлын хэсэг үүнийг илүү өргөн хүрээнд буюу оффис хоорондын харилцаанд ч мөн хамааруулахаар төлөвлөж байна. Кэт Кэммак уг асуудлаарх санал боловсруулах ажил 70 орчим хувьтай байгааг дурдаад, дүрмийн зөрчил гаргасан гишүүдэд хүлээлгэх хариуцлагын механизмыг тодорхойлох нь хамгийн хүндрэлтэй асуудал болоод байгааг онцоллоо.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
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Florida Republican Representative Kat Cammack says she “wouldn’t feel comfortable” with her daughter working on Capitol Hill due to the “culture of creepiness” — an issue that has taken center stage due to a recent push within Congress to ban relationships between members and House staffers.
A bipartisan House task force on sexual misconduct is weighing whether to recommend banning romantic relationships between lawmakers and staffers as part of an effort to reduce harassment on Capitol Hill.
“Listen, if you’re looking for love, I suggest you look elsewhere,” Cammack, 38, told MeidasTouch Tuesday on Capitol Hill. “Maybe join, I don’t know, what are the apps these days? eHarmony? Match? Grindr? Tinder? Swipe right? Swipe left? I’m not quite sure, but I think we’d be better off if members were more focused on their work than enhancing their love life.”
When asked if she had heard staffers complain about sexual misconduct by members, the congresswoman laughed and said: “I’m trying to think of another way to say eff-yeah without using that word, but yeah, it’s a really big effing problem.”
“I think that it’s ridiculous that people don’t recognize the power imbalance that exists here on Capitol Hill, and it’s extraordinarily inappropriate if you are the member and you are trying to put the moves on your own staff,” she continued.
Commack added: “People don’t recognize that even if it’s another staffer in another office, you still have a tremendous influence over that Congressional staffer’s career.”
The congresswoman then addressed the situation in a personal light.
“Listen, I don’t want the government involved in people’s love lives, but what we have seen is, like I said, a culture of creepiness where you have members that are soliciting staff, they’re approaching staff, they’re putting them in very awkward situations, and that’s just wrong. And so, I wouldn’t feel comfortable sending my daughter to work here on Capitol Hill, and until I feel like that has changed, we’re gonna keep going to try to figure out ways to make Capitol Hill a safe place to work.”
Cammack and her husband have one child, a daughter who was born in August 2025. Cammack previously made headlines after she shared that in 2024 she nearly died as a result of Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which left hospital staff reluctant to treat her ectopic pregnancy.
When asked to clarify if she would tell parents to send their children to work on Capitol Hill, Cammack responded: “Not in this environment, no.”
Cammack’s blunt comments come as efforts to reduce harassment and sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill have reached a fever pitch. A bipartisan group between Republican and Democratic women’s caucuses was formed this spring to target reforms that would make Congress a safer and more professional place for women.
The issue of whether members of Congress should be allowed to date staffers — including staffers outside of their office — has been at the center of a debate over how to eradicate sexual harassment on the Hill. It comes after Democrat Eric Swalwell and Republican Tony Gonzales resigned in April, over separate allegations of sexual misconduct.
Swalwell, from California, also faces allegations of sexual assault. Gonzales, from Texas, admitted to having an affair with a staffer, who later died by suicide.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, weighed in on the issue Tuesday, saying he didn’t think members of Congress should be romantically involved with any House staffers.
“I can’t believe it would be acceptable in any situation,” Johnson said at a press conference. “I think we should, as a bare minimum in Congress, have rules and traditions that are adhered to in corporate America, so that is an easy one for me.”
It is currently against House rules for members to pursue or date their own staff, but his comments may help the bipartisan group pushing for greater restrictions. It was not immediately clear how potential changes to the rules for lawmakers would go forward, but it would require a revision to the House Code of Official Conduct, according to Politico.
Cammack, who is part of the working group, told CNN Tuesday that they were about “70 percent” there on a list of proposals. She noted that one difficulty the group was facing was coming up with ideas for addressing lawmakers who break the rules.
“You have to balance the constitutional role that we have in protecting people back home and their right to representation and bad behavior up here on Washington in on Capitol Hill,” Cammack said.
“That to me is probably one of the most frustrating things, is if constituents back home knew how their member was operating up here on Capitol Hill, the people back home would take care of business in the following election. But unfortunately … we don’t wear body cameras up here.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
In the U.K., if you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
