Story highlights Congress has been considering ways to overhaul its administrative complaint process

The plan eliminates the mandatory 30-day mediation period currently required

(CNN) House lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a long-awaited bipartisan plan aimed at tackling the way that workplace complaints -- including sexual harassment -- are handled on Capitol Hill and to hold lawmakers personally liable for settlements.

The bill, supporters say, would be the most significant step in recent yearstoward addressing sexual harassment on Capitol Hill and would make the process less arduous for victims.

The legislation would streamline the process a House of Representatives employee must go through to report a workplace claim, including eliminating the mandatory 30-day counseling and mediation period.

It would also require members of Congress to repay the Treasury fund controlled by the Office of Compliance within 90 days, including members who leave office, and would require that each claim in which an award or settlement is made be referred to the House Ethics Committee -- something that is currently not done automatically.

Under existing policy, there is currently no requirement that lawmakers repay the fund for settlements made with taxpayer money -- though one lawmaker, Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas, has said he plans to repay an $84,000 settlement with a former aide using a personal loan. He has yet to do so.

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