The U.S. House of Representatives voted 413-2 on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) for persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct involving two female staff members. The formal rebuke requires the member to stand in the House chamber while the resolution condemning their actions is read aloud. Rep. Edwards and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) were the only two lawmakers to vote against the measure.
The censure followed an investigation by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, which released a report on August 3, 2026. The committee found that Edwards engaged in a pattern of behavior that created a hostile work environment and violated the spirit of House prohibitions against sexual harassment. While the panel did not find evidence of sexual activity or explicit propositions, it concluded that a reasonable person could interpret Edwards’ "intimate and effusive attentions" toward the two young staffers as "thinly veiled advances."
According to the report, Edwards provided the staffers with gifts exceeding $1,000, including jewelry, designer purses, guns, a laptop, and a KitchenAid mixer. The committee documented instances where Edwards skipped House votes to decorate a staffer’s Christmas tree, sent messages in the middle of the night, and commented on a staffer's weight. Edwards denied the allegations of sexual harassment, arguing that his actions were rooted in "affectionate friendship" and generosity, though he apologized on the House floor Tuesday for putting the women in an uncomfortable position.
For the staffers involved, the Ethics Committee reported they were placed in an "untenable position" due to the power imbalance between a member of Congress and his subordinates. The committee noted that Edwards had reason to know as early as May 2025 that his behavior made the women uncomfortable when a senior staffer spoke to him on their behalf.
The scale of this disciplinary action is notable due to its rarity; this marks the 29th time in U.S. history that the House has used censure, which is the most severe punishment available short of expulsion. The decision follows a recent increase in such measures, including the 2025 censure of Rep. Al Green (D-TX). This specific case has prompted bipartisan efforts, led by Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), to develop legislation that would overhaul the ethics process and establish consistent rubrics for punishing misconduct involving congressional aides.
The committee clarified that physical touch or explicit propositions are not required to meet the threshold for a sexual harassment claim. Edwards ended his reelection bid in response to the August report. The House Ethics committee has also recently announced or managed investigations into other members, including Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), and Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL).