The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to refer Rep. Nancy Mace's (R-S.C.) resolution to the Ethics Committee, effectively halting efforts to publicly release reports on sexual misconduct allegations against lawmakers.

The vote tallied 357-65-1 in favor of referral, a procedural move that sends H. Res. 1072 to the panel it targets and where bipartisan leaders have vowed opposition. Of the 65 lawmakers who opposed referral seeking to bring the measure to a direct vote, 38 were Republicans and 27 Democrats.

Mace introduced the resolution on February 24, directing the Ethics Committee to disclose within 60 days all final reports, draft reports, conclusions, recommendations, and materials related to probes into violations of House rules on sexual harassment of staff or relationships with subordinates. The measure called for redacting personally identifiable information of victims, alleged victims, and witnesses.

The push gained urgency amid scrutiny of Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who faces an Ethics Committee investigation announced Wednesday morning into allegations of a romantic relationship with a staffer. The staffer died by self-immolation in September 2025. Text messages between Gonzales and the staffer surfaced last week, prompting Mace and others to call for his resignation. Gonzales, who faces a May 26 primary runoff, described the relationship as a "lapse of judgment" but denied broader misconduct.

House rules, updated in 2018 amid the MeToo movement, prohibit members from engaging in sexual relationships with staff in their offices or on committees and ban harassment. While some serious allegations lead to public disclosures or taxpayer-funded settlements, many Ethics Committee findings remain confidential.

Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest (R-Miss.) and Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) issued a joint statement opposing the resolution. They argued it would "chill victim cooperation and witness participation," potentially retraumatizing victims through public release of interim materials and exposing witnesses to retaliation. "We believe House Resolution 1072 could have a negative impact on the Committee’s ability to investigate and eliminate sexual misconduct in the House," they wrote.

Mace, who has shared her own experiences with sexual assault, decried the outcome. "Congress has been sweeping this under the rug for far too long," she said on the floor Tuesday while moving to force a vote. "Any Member who votes against this resolution is voting to protect the cover-up instead of the victims." After the vote, she called it "shameful," accusing both parties of colluding to shield predators.

The defeat underscores tensions over congressional accountability. Proponents argued transparency would deter misconduct and empower staff, while critics warned of unintended harm to investigations. The Ethics Committee probe into Gonzales, barred from certain actions near elections, highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing conduct rules.