Kat Cammack

The House’s top Republican and Democrat, usually at odds on policy matters, have come together to form a bipartisan initiative to address sexual misconduct claims in the lower chamber.

Reps. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., and Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., who lead the House women’s caucuses for their respective parties, will serve as co-chairs of the effort.

Cammack’s office said in a news release that the caucuses "will work together to identify reforms and solutions to make Congress a safer work environment for women and all survivors."

The effort comes amid the resignations of Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, following sexual misconduct allegations, and the release of documents detailing sexual harassment settlements involving House members during the past 20 years.

"We're all in support, fully supportive," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told CBS News ahead of the announcement.

"I think the main thing that they need to work on, we all think they need to work on, is reporting mechanisms," Johnson said.

"There's this concern that, you know, young female staffers, for example, are intimidated to come forward, so we're trying to figure out some sort of whistleblower protection program.

"It needs to happen, so we're gonna advance that as quickly as we can," Johnson said.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told CBS News: "We're working on something bipartisan right now, and we're trying to figure out the logistics of it."

Cammack said in the release that no woman, regardless of party, title, or position, should feel unsafe at work.

"This effort has the support of Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries because this issue transcends politics," Cammack said.

"It’s about dignity, accountability, and ensuring that every person who comes to work in the People’s House is treated with respect and protected from abuse.

"The reality is that coming forward is extraordinarily difficult.

"Fear of retaliation, damage to careers, public scrutiny, and institutional pressure often silence victims long before justice has a chance to speak.

"We cannot claim to support women while ignoring the very real barriers that prevent them from reporting misconduct in the first place," Cammack said.

Leger Fernandez echoed Cammack’s call for a safer workplace for women, including those on Capitol Hill.

"Together, we will push for bipartisan changes to make the reporting process faster and more accessible and increase education and training resources, prioritizing staff and survivors at every step," Leger Fernandez said in the release.

"It is sickening that Congressmen sexually harassed and assaulted women staffers instead of treating them with the respect they deserved," she continued.

"We know these women are not alone — women across America have been sexually assaulted and harassed by men at work who think they will never face any consequences.

"We will continue to stand with survivors, break the silence, and fight for a future free of sexual misconduct — in Congress and everywhere across this country," Fernandez said.