115 S2236 IS: Congressional Harassment Reform Act U.S. Senate 2017-12-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
II115th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 2236IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESDecember 14, 2017Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Booker, Mrs. Ernst, Ms. Murkowski, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Portman, Mr. Graham, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Warren, and Mrs. McCaskill) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsA BILLTo require covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention training for Members, officers, employees, interns, fellows, and detailees of Congress within 30 days of employment and annually thereafter, to require a biennial climate survey of Congress, to amend the enforcement process under the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights for covered discrimination and covered harassment complaints, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Congressional Harassment Reform Act.
<enum>I</enum><header>Training and climate survey</header> <section id="id84721CF730134C199614BD359E3D2507"><enum>101.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text> <paragraph id="id6A775C0515364DF9AAA6503094E612CB"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Covered discrimination</header><text>The term <term>covered discrimination</term> means—</text> <subparagraph id="idDED04BDDDB954234A1AF927ECDAA29B8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>discrimination described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (2);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idD776BB81295B46FF9337BF86895A0042"><enum>(B)</enum><text>discrimination prohibited by section 201, 206, or 210 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9B6E529631AC4394A0B405EA73023B09"><enum>(C)</enum><text>a violation of section 207 of such Act that is related to discrimination described in subparagraph (A) or (B).</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2718b50daff043df87a2c1637293eb09"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Covered harassment</header><text>The term <term>covered harassment</term> means harassment that is—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5A5BE403900D40BE885A046507ACB5FF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2000e">42 U.S.C. 2000e</external-xref> et seq.);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5FCF6F6A7E754641A0C019F2575E5EF6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>discrimination because of age under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/621">29 U.S.C. 621</external-xref> et seq.);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id209721988612482F9BE1B0BBE6DE8D5B"><enum>(C)</enum><text>discrimination on the basis of disability under title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12111">42 U.S.C. 12111</external-xref> et seq.) or section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/791">29 U.S.C. 791</external-xref>);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6C3CCA0BBB44417F8EEEEB5771CE3C20"><enum>(D)</enum><text>discrimination because of genetic information under title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2000ff">42 U.S.C. 2000ff</external-xref> et seq.); or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA55268EB51104A49B1D00D490E4B86A1"><enum>(E)</enum><text>discrimination on the basis of status concerning service in a uniformed service under section 4311(a) of title 38, United States Code.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6D335CBCCC4D44A4ABCBE066C9AD3541"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Covered office of the House of Representatives</header><text>The term <term>covered office of the House of Representatives</term> means an office, including a joint commission or joint committee, employing employees of the House of Representatives.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3F65D6B9E43F46A5A390047BB2863C51"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Covered office of the Senate</header><text>The term <term>covered office of the Senate</term> means an office, including a joint commission or joint committee, employing employees of the Senate.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id61BA3B29208F4E879F0FCF3C5A247E7B"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Covered position in the House of Representatives</header><text>The term <term>covered position in the House of Representatives</term> means a position as—</text> <subparagraph id="id6005FB66608349639721D1C587390C7E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7D12D619CCE743B9A9AE09B755009B47"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an elected or appointed officer of the House of Representatives;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id51C82515F0F0427B8730603692011097"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an employee of the House of Representatives;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0AF94C7A33144B4AA6C2036DD4D50166"><enum>(D)</enum><text>an intern or fellow in a covered office of the House of Representatives—</text> <clause id="id5393D86DE58B4FE98ECEFEFB819DF608"><enum>(i)</enum><text>without regard to whether the intern or fellow receives compensation; and</text> </clause><clause id="idC7036C1EB9374084A962A4B7D60C9782"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the case of an intern or fellow that does receive compensation, without regard to the source of the compensation; or</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6E14B7020B494108949FD14C47FB4C65"><enum>(E)</enum><text>a detailee in a covered office of the House of Representatives, without regard to whether the service is on a reimbursable basis.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id952D3482D3A24998A2E394057DD59B6F"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Covered position in the Senate</header><text>The term <term>covered position in the Senate</term> means a position as—</text> <subparagraph id="id65BB673EFA284D96BD9BF4BB4EA603CC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a Member of the Senate;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id985CA7D3440A4889B13F79CE58065A0F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an elected or appointed officer of the Senate;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4DDBCB6B61C94FF5825DC9D5C18D6F96"><enum>(C)</enum><text>an employee of the Senate;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idE14CCEBA90DB4B5A9BF9F13AA4C0B648"><enum>(D)</enum><text>an intern or fellow in a covered office of the Senate—</text> <clause id="idC24EE639709C4B7F91908B4386A566A0"><enum>(i)</enum><text>without regard to whether the intern or fellow receives compensation; and</text> </clause><clause id="id1260328CC82844DFBA61ABACF8F8860B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the case of an intern or fellow that does receive compensation, without regard to the source of the compensation; or</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id685C6A3EFE214744AC38BB33393A7B0D"><enum>(E)</enum><text>a detailee in a covered office of the Senate, without regard to whether the service is on a reimbursable basis.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id0B450898AAA04C02BAF48C7B30623E38"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Employee of the House of Representatives</header><text>The term <term>employee of the House of Representatives</term> means an employee whose pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, without regard to the term of the appointment.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9514579156D8466D97B28895F98532AC"><enum>(8)</enum><header>Employee of the Senate</header><text>The term <term>employee of the Senate</term> means an employee whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate, without regard to the term of the appointment.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idED1A3D76C998472EB6297EA0FE7C78F8"><enum>(9)</enum><header>Head of a covered office</header><text>The term <term>head of a covered office</term>, when used with respect to a covered office of the Senate or a covered office of the House of Representatives, means the Member of Congress, elected or appointed officer of Congress, or manager of the covered office having final authority to appoint, hire, discharge, and set the terms, conditions, or privileges of the employment of the employees employed by the covered office.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idEB041C1C897545FCAA33B01C0FF49050"><enum>(10)</enum><header>Initial training date</header><text>The term <term>initial training date</term> means, with respect to an individual in a covered position in the House or an individual in a covered position in the Senate, the first date on which the applicable training required for such individual under section 102(b) is offered under section 102(c).</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCD1DFB365F154E38955AE05898C65010"><enum>(11)</enum><header>Manager of a covered office</header><text>The term <term>manager of a covered office</term>, when used with respect to a covered office of the Senate or a covered office of the House of Representatives, means an employee of the covered office empowered to effect a significant change in the employment status of another employee of the covered office, such as hiring, firing, failing to promote, reassignment with significantly different responsibilities, or a decision causing a change in benefits.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4F2AE0FD38A545B394E380EDFD9F7B8D"><enum>(12)</enum><header>Office of Congressional Workplace Rights</header><text>The term <term>Office of Congressional Workplace Rights</term> means the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights established under section 301 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1381">2 U.S.C. 1381</external-xref>), as amended by section 217 (formerly known as the <quote>Office of Compliance</quote>).</text> </paragraph></section><section id="id680A42EC873B4203BFAAE32DDCE0BF47"><enum>102.</enum><header>Required covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention training for members, officers, employees, interns, fellows, and detailees of Congress within 30 days of employment and annually thereafter</header> <subsection id="id5E4B18876C934E5780876719AFA4D633"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment of rules requiring covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention training within 30 days of employment and annually thereafter</header> <paragraph id="id49FA0565A2D348BCBD7A8A6CB3E7FBF4"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Requirements for the Senate</header> <subparagraph id="idE70112A4DFB840B9A4C3F9E2CC9EE654"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate—</text> <clause id="id228A9F4F7531407A8B93A2D1F3AD1F15"><enum>(i)</enum><text>shall issue rules that require—</text> <subclause id="idc8dda3c4dd184a81ac6835006e3a741b"><enum>(I)</enum><text>each individual elected, appointed, or assigned to a covered position in the Senate after the initial training date, who was not serving in a covered position in the same covered office of the Senate immediately before being so elected, appointed, or assigned, to complete training described in subsections (b) and (c)—</text> <item id="id11FFEAD258AE4481830F12161E310DD5"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>not later than 30 days after the date on which the individual begins serving in the covered position; and</text> </item><item id="id0584E0720F684EEBB2A1F55950A02A75"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>annually thereafter as long as the individual serves in a covered position in the Senate;</text> </item></subclause><subclause id="ida564839cbf28455aa64ca57de6eea6ff"><enum>(II)</enum><text>each individual serving in a covered position in the Senate on the initial training date, to complete such training—</text> <item id="idA67148D2CBF1448CAF1A948752244D35"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>not later than 30 days after the initial training date; and</text> </item><item id="idD7BEE83F6C3C4BCA9099989AE69ADE11"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>annually thereafter as long as the individual serves in a covered position in the Senate; and</text> </item></subclause><subclause id="id0B591B6623BF406BBAB7C9FE83B431C1"><enum>(III)</enum><text>a designee of each covered office of the Senate to—</text> <item id="idA2FDDD3CF6204C2CB45BB8EEB3374449"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>annually submit to the Committee a certification indicating whether each individual serving in a covered position in such covered office has completed such training; and</text> </item><item id="id0C0FB63154064B80A37AEB2F0D1F84F2"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>submit, by not later than the last day of each Congress, to the Secretary of the Senate a certification indicating whether each individual serving in a covered position in such covered office has completed the training requirements under this title during that Congress; and</text> </item></subclause></clause><clause id="id8B94655197EA429E8BB49481626E5B16"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>may establish additional requirements for the training on covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention that is offered to individuals serving in covered positions in the Senate under this section.</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idEA33AF6E0C714C8581F6DFD5D9899636"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Coordination with other requirements</header><text>In issuing rules under subparagraph (A)(i), the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate shall—</text> <clause commented="no" id="idF5205473BFA24932994B1B70EF808A5D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>review the requirements of S. Res. 330 (115th Congress), agreed to November 9, 2017; and</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="id25EF89FCE9794349A47DD2D860F0076B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>ensure that the rules issued under subparagraph (A)(i) meet the requirements of this title while preventing or limiting conflicts and duplication of requirements under the regulations or guidance issued under such Senate Resolution.</text> </clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id1835130873034AFC80C94206EEB5A22E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirements for the House of Representatives</header> <subparagraph id="id1D23D169BA9D4B78852A5025660EE1A0"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives—</text> <clause id="id426DF4140D8D4825A30328C71024E15B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>shall issue rules that require—</text> <subclause id="idEA470791B27C4967AFA19D4BC3075089"><enum>(I)</enum><text>each individual elected, appointed, or assigned to a covered position in the House of Representatives after the initial training date, who was not serving in a covered position in the same covered office of the House of Representatives immediately before being so elected, appointed, or assigned, to complete training described in subsections (b) and (c)—</text> <item id="idA4B71A8263EE4DB0BCCD76E6876BF46E"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>not later than 30 days after the date on which the individual begins serving in the covered position; and</text> </item><item id="id8829BAF12FDB45C0A7459EAFE1A74F5B"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>annually thereafter as long as the individual serves in a covered position in the House of Representatives;</text> </item></subclause><subclause id="idAF18D2726C5A4521811099A4A9367076"><enum>(II)</enum><text>each individual serving in a covered position in the House of Representatives on the initial training date, to complete such training—</text> <item id="id5F001E75D94E4CA78ED0B25E2A2AA79D"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>not later than 30 days after the initial training date; and</text> </item><item commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0EFC8ED97E324A1A905312EC0917747F"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>annually thereafter as long as the individual serves in a covered position in the House of Representatives; and</text> </item></subclause><subclause id="id91B1AEC1BA614288B46A94A4D193761F"><enum>(III)</enum><text>a designee of each covered office of the House of Representatives to—</text> <item id="idBF7CCCF7BC384A7F81D1BFAD06D35222"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>annually submit to the Committee a certification indicating whether each individual serving in a covered position in such covered office has completed the training; and</text> </item><item id="idC6C25F91770E45FA9E572E8F9159C267"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>submit, by not later than the last day of each Congress, to the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives a certification indicating whether each individual serving in a covered position in such covered office has completed the training requirements under this title during that Congress; and</text> </item></subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD174E696DE7C4FDB834CCBDF2CB0B042"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>may establish additional requirements for the training on covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention offered to individuals serving in a covered position in the House of Representatives under this section.</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idEF06C84A9086491CB551280691508C03"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Coordination with other requirements</header><text>In issuing rules under subparagraph (A)(i), the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives shall—</text> <clause commented="no" id="id0E7366DC7D9241DC8A66525A2C0285DA"><enum>(i)</enum><text>review the requirements of H. Res. 630 (115th Congress), agreed to November 29, 2017; and</text> </clause><clause commented="no" id="idE12ED57834B14F40BB670BDA9126755F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>ensure that the rules issued under subparagraph (A)(i) meet the requirements of this title while preventing or limiting conflicts and duplication of requirements under the regulations issued under such House Resolution.</text> </clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id1EF9FDC7268042BBA66E0FEC2926B280"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements for training</header><text>The training on covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention required under this section shall—</text> <paragraph id="id6756E2AFE6654D649480B6ED39B831BA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>be provided by the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="idCA99A2B5E13C4C67BEC53E2E0156D2D2"><enum>(2)</enum><text>include—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" id="id273e0d4597ab4c66a36474627b8ab346"><enum>(A)</enum><text>information and practical guidance regarding any applicable Federal laws concerning the prohibition against and the prevention and correction of covered discrimination and covered harassment and the rights of survivors of covered harassment in employment;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idbc61f76e4a024ed987b15cdd62219a1d"><enum>(B)</enum><text>practical examples aimed at instructing supervisors in the prevention of covered discrimination, covered harassment, and retaliation;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id2705d17c176846e199840c18af34a5f3"><enum>(C)</enum><text>presentations by individuals with knowledge and expertise in the prevention of covered discrimination, covered harassment, and retaliation;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="ide08abf81432c40c381cb96f6f2ddd6b5"><enum>(D)</enum><text>a discussion of the consequences for perpetrators of covered discrimination and covered harassment;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida42c5b000de149f7b14a4598591e2dc6"><enum>(E)</enum><text>information regarding the prohibition under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1301">2 U.S.C. 1301</external-xref> et seq.) of retaliation against any witness to, or individual who experiences, covered discrimination or covered harassment and who has—</text> <clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id616D568DD34A4294AD70FA4244C176F9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>opposed the covered discrimination or covered harassment; or</text> </clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id63035BD8AC654A0A8F0D34AB715695FD"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>initiated proceedings, made a charge, or testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in a hearing or other proceeding relating to such covered discrimination or covered harassment;</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id058959F8AC2740209CE3FCBFEF1ADAAD"><enum>(F)</enum><text>information regarding how an individual in a covered position in the Senate or a covered position in the House of Representatives reports covered discrimination or covered harassment to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idDFDD1E364555446BB90A617E06088886"><enum>(G)</enum><text>in the case of training provided to individuals who are Members of Congress (including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress), elected and appointed officers of Congress, heads of covered offices of Congress, and managers of covered offices of Congress, information regarding the role of such individuals in recognizing and responding to harassment and harassment complaints; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idAD3E2FDCE150475E910E890539E4A8FF"><enum>(H)</enum><text>any additional content required under paragraph (1)(A)(ii), or (2)(A)(ii), of subsection (a) by the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate or the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives (as applicable); and</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id7820DDDF7DAD4B9BA29FC1CA0ACE08EB"><enum>(3)</enum><text>require that an individual demonstrate mastery of the subject matter through an assessment in order to complete the training.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id22DB71013D78432BB80BAC139091AB73"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Provision of training</header> <paragraph id="id13B3EEFA3ED24446915F9668E7BDF374"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights shall—</text> <subparagraph id="id00E91EBCD0EA4AE882E84A47DAE9D440"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by not later than 60 days after the date on which the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives issue rules under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a), develop and offer training on covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention that meets the requirements of subsection (b), subject to paragraph (2);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC824C9E6B46441C9A01E315CF0F759D2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>periodically update the training on covered discrimination and covered harassment awareness and prevention, including any materials relating to such training; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9117F0C8A8054111963F83B0185DB8ED"><enum>(C)</enum><text>periodically provide recordkeeping information to, as applicable—</text> <clause id="idF99BDC1DB6E248FBB3F692A9AFD0E9C2"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives;</text> </clause><clause id="id31A83FDF8FA94E29A0F37EEB3BC21868"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate;</text> </clause><clause id="idCA9441965CE34C859D1120230DE1C9C4"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives; and</text> </clause><clause id="id13BA2926E6EE4C8995A98C62AFF75077"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate,</text> </clause></subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph">regarding the individuals serving in covered positions in the Senate or in covered positions in the House of Representatives, respectively, who have completed the training</continuation-text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id8192715c64384b6aa29b511813295a50"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text>The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights shall, in implementing the training described in paragraph (1), consult with—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" id="id359ae91713b044af8f22732e03b511dc"><enum>(A)</enum><text>entities having significant expertise in identifying, preventing, and responding to covered harassment; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2a50ed22e81e461d91810a96ab70e913"><enum>(B)</enum><text>covered harassment survivors or covered harassment confidential advisors.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id38e4376046e349dcbeebe7c10ad107b9"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Publication of certifications for each Congress</header> <paragraph id="id7FE081417E5342E39ABDA4BB58EDF512"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Publication of certification in the Senate</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 30 days after the first day of each Congress, the Secretary of the Senate shall publish each certification submitted to the Secretary of the Senate, in accordance with the rules issued under subsection (a)(1)(A)(i) and the requirements of subsection (a)(1)(A)(i)(III)(bb), with respect to the previous Congress on the public website of the Secretary of the Senate.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id607AEA939C704D9EB05068514C7DE879"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Publication of certification in the House of Representatives</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 30 days after the first day of each Congress, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives shall publish each certification submitted to the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, in accordance with the rules issued under subsection (a)(2)(A)(i) and the requirements of subsection (a)(2)(A)(i)(III)(bb), with respect to the previous Congress on the public website of the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id9104F7E1CB46475F849917BCC3DCCD18"><enum>103.</enum><header>Workplace climate survey of Congress relating to covered discrimination and covered harassment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights shall—</text> <paragraph id="id4CC242FDDF2B443A9A9BAA3B391CA7A7"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">carry out an anonymous survey of individuals serving in covered positions in the Senate or in covered positions in the House of Representatives—</text> <subparagraph id="idEC5E543ECCB44C57B89DAEACB8DF7C17"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to determine—</text> <clause id="id5EF6BB601A874E5EACDD1174A011D554"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the scope of covered discrimination and covered harassment in Congress;</text> </clause><clause id="id83D399E0FE594F7B98107266D6710255"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">whether covered discrimination and covered harassment prevention and reform efforts are working to curb the prevalence of covered discrimination and covered harassment in Congress; and</text> </clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id704D4FF21304488390D69AEFFB924E99"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>whether the complaint and reporting process regarding instances of covered discrimination and covered harassment in Congress is sufficient; and</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idD95D29FBDAE7416F8426D7319128018B"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that does not request any information, and is not conducted by any method, that would make a respondent or respondent's office identifiable; and</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idECB835CF2FE447ABBB2FA10A9A6122DE"><enum>(2)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id209F300ABE38482298C3B2851635220D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>prepare a report regarding the findings of the survey described in paragraph (1) that does not reveal the methods used by the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to gather responses to the survey; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA8A2EF0FEEAE4787B1822FB9993040E7" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>submit the report only to the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, the Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives, the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate, and the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Congressional Accountability Act of 1995</header> <section id="id31620DD1C7E74DCA8D6187E6CDA890B1"><enum>201.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 101 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1301">2 U.S.C. 1301</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="id76005E7DEAD2434FA5F29E117295E070"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) through (12) as paragraphs (5) and (7) through (15), respectively;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id2591D6EC0CA04A0A9FDD50BB4B90F247"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id80656DFEC1BB474783B3F4EE8AD68F37" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="idC9A6FDB68147400596F9B2840E4A47E8"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Connected worker</header> <subparagraph id="id7C4A71271AAC4B199C5F08C899A03FD6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Covered employees</header><text>For purposes of paragraph (5), the term <term>connected worker</term> means—</text> <clause id="id7FB4EA2A67BF4DF38FE044094C6862AE"><enum>(i)</enum><text>an intern or fellow serving in a position in an employing office—</text> <subclause id="id19075CD7F916455699F43B1860150272"><enum>(I)</enum><text>without regard to whether the intern or fellow receives compensation; and</text> </subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC017F9259F5642408ABAB48BD3516F21"><enum>(II)</enum><text>if the intern or fellow does receive compensation, without regard to the source of compensation; or</text> </subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD6A72CCA205147669FFCFB9AC77ED181"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a detailee serving in a position in an employing office, without regard to whether the service is on a reimbursable basis.</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1474B97A6E9F49D1A2F6404F84D45F06"><enum>(B)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subgroups of covered employees</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For purposes of each of paragraphs (8) through (11), the term defined in the paragraph involved, used with respect to covered discrimination or covered harassment, includes a connected worker (as defined in subparagraph (A)) in an office that employs employees referred to in that paragraph.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id0814795DC81540998906773B851B8101"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Covered discrimination</header><text>In this section, the term <term>covered discrimination</term> means—</text> <subparagraph id="id0C95BE0EB96F425381B648BB48D005B0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>discrimination described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (6);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id212875E29F294474B6515BA232383A74"><enum>(B)</enum><text>discrimination prohibited by section 210; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4A25E02CC29D458D8575C3102ADF2BE0"><enum>(C)</enum><text>a violation of section 207 that is related to discrimination described in subparagraph (A) or (B), or a violation of section 4311(b) of title 38, United States Code, that is related to discrimination described in paragraph (6)(E).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph><paragraph id="idF066EEEBDF044D9B8BB1A02C11A906B5"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in paragraph (5), as redesignated by paragraph (1) of this section, by striking <quote>any employee</quote> and inserting <quote>any employee and, used with respect to covered discrimination or covered harassment, any connected worker</quote>;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="idE2F3BEA03EC04D55B901906EF0A6D69B"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by inserting after paragraph (5), as redesignated by paragraph (1) of this section, the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0A45FC19242A407D96A7D3F930F54EF8" style="OLC"> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3F814380F1164505BD518EF233569BAF"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Covered harassment</header><text>The term <term>covered harassment</term> means harassment that is—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6102E87CF72642F29E7106C7E8303334"><enum>(A)</enum><text>discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2000e">42 U.S.C. 2000e</external-xref> et seq.);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id97C19D14C6CB48BF939076974903758D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>discrimination because of age under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/621">29 U.S.C. 621</external-xref> et seq.);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idB87973B65DFC48E09C96585D45D9D5A5"><enum>(C)</enum><text>discrimination on the basis of disability under title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12111">42 U.S.C. 12111</external-xref> et seq.) or section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/791">29 U.S.C. 791</external-xref>);</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id087B7C042A0D4C1E9ED455BEE0624976"><enum>(D)</enum><text>discrimination because of genetic information under title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2000ff">42 U.S.C. 2000ff</external-xref> et seq.); or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id78DC9238D48A458F9980AF3D14D79572"><enum>(E)</enum><text>discrimination on the basis of status concerning service in a uniformed service under section 4311(a) of title 38, United States Code.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and </after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph><paragraph id="id0B320417873F44C5A8CB37DAE844BA47"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in paragraphs (10) and (11), by striking <quote>paragraph (3)</quote> and inserting <quote>paragraph (5)</quote>.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="idA2A85396C90B4DF58CBC4F8AFFCC6749"><enum>202.</enum><header>Rights and protections; responsibilities of head of employing office</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 201 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1311">2 U.S.C. 1311</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="id1A9432E0C2C042B683F9207947E4830B"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (a)—</text> <subparagraph id="id18182AD592FF4127A6C5B42C37A36A1C"><enum>(A)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id1A1CD63917CB45AC968A1C19F9DA1E40"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), respectively;</text> </clause><clause id="idDD792267D6044334A925CF473D343DCF" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by aligning the margins of such subparagraphs with the margins of subparagraph (A) of subsection (b)(1); and</text> </clause><clause id="id87435FD2389546258B06394E5D2813E6" indent="up1"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by striking <quote>All personnel</quote> and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA3E33A8D53AB4936BF364A3B05818F77" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="idB4CA2D9A762B41EDA6162E32A644A020"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>All personnel</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5D75119DF1024B45A483F07D37CBC7F8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5AA6A209D88F427997BB46DD12049DE1" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="id1575A5A49C3542A4BFE8C13A0DBBC4F2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Responsibilities</header> <subparagraph id="id8286206BCDC14112B18E468BF5485791"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If an individual who is the head of an employing office, or the highest ranking employee of the head of the employing office, is aware of, or a reasonable individual in the position involved would be aware of, covered discrimination or covered harassment in the office, the individual shall carry out the responsibility described in subparagraph (B).</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idEA13AD6EB0324DD0A5541BE92568BEF8"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Responsibilities</header><text>The individual referred to in subparagraph (A) shall make affirmative efforts to address, and prevent the recurrence of, covered discrimination or covered harassment in the office.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idBA543FD2101C444B901508DB95F07304"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)—</text> <subparagraph id="idC5F977E632E544468576AA53DF7EED4B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>subsection (a)(1)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (a)(1)(A)</quote>;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id95F6A8279FAE4662AD862205F1DB3451"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by striking <quote>subsection (a)(2)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (a)(1)(B)</quote>; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9B92338107E1403C8B9208B82DAA4BB1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (3), by striking <quote>subsection (a)(3)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (a)(1)(C)</quote>.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></section><section id="idB0B3C99D5F884C6C8BBA0126B11FDEEA"><enum>203.</enum><header>Public services and accommodations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 210 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1331">2 U.S.C. 1331</external-xref>) is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id22D52726CC1D496292E008DF7CED2A07" style="OLC"> <subsection id="idD0F1EC2D8BF141518EAEE0130614FB74"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Available procedures</header> <paragraph id="idC2FAD19CDC164B91A0DCEE24ADD64E73"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The procedures of title IV shall apply to allegations of violations of this part.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="idFE85FCFC02934DDF92EFCF90C5B0CB84"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Application</header><text>For purposes of applying title IV—</text> <subparagraph id="id1C75EDDAA5A24FC1BF2DF4D2C6EB050C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to an allegation of a violation of a provision listed in subsection (b), of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12131">42 U.S.C. 12131</external-xref> et seq.)—</text> <clause id="idA1B70944EDA74D4B87C8FC69B13EE81E"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a reference in title IV to a covered employee shall be considered to be a reference to a qualified individual with a disability, as defined in section 201 of that Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12131">42 U.S.C. 12131</external-xref>); and</text> </clause><clause id="id5777C7254A744BF2A73ED84CCABBAA9D"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a reference in title IV to an employing office shall be considered to be a reference to an entity listed in subsection (a) that provides public services, programs, or activities; and</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id14CDECC2C1744DE594A3ECEB110AF5A1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to an allegation of a violation of a provision listed in subsection (b), of title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12181">42 U.S.C. 12181</external-xref> et seq.)—</text> <clause id="id9F1F2E804DCD4D3B94CD3554CA961500"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a reference in title IV to a covered employee shall be considered to be a reference to an individual with a disability, as defined in section 3 of that Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12102">42 U.S.C. 12102</external-xref>); and</text> </clause><clause id="id65874094BB474C6A8ED8E1A86C416933"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a reference in title IV to an employing office shall be considered to be a reference to an entity listed in subsection (a) that owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation, as defined in section 301 of that Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12181">42 U.S.C. 12181</external-xref>).</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </section><section id="id67989FD37E1C4DE6802375B254E6E766"><enum>204.</enum><header>General provisions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 225(e) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1361">2 U.S.C. 1361(e)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>Only</quote> and inserting <quote>Except in the case of an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment, only</quote>.</text> </section><section id="id61A2A1AE86704B1CAC8F79C937D2DC28"><enum>205.</enum><header>Notices</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Part E of title II of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1361">2 U.S.C. 1361</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idE74A6F13EBB645B3B66599D217C53D64" style="OLC"> <section id="id0401266765C64FC781129653C765042A"><enum>226.</enum><header>Notices</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Every employing office shall post and keep posted (in conspicuous places upon its premises where notices to covered employees are customarily posted) a notice provided by the Office that—</text> <paragraph id="id7A787E8B146C4BF1996E6FF95EBD3676"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">describes the rights, protections, and procedures applicable to covered employees of the employing office under this Act, concerning covered discrimination and covered harassment; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id489BA38F36F147038489B999D08AED4B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>includes contact information for the Office.</text> </paragraph></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </section><section id="id13A7105C43F44662857D0838FC2B1D76"><enum>206.</enum><header>Confidential advisor</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 302 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1382">2 U.S.C. 1382</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="id6BA1CFD1AAFE417E913F86C3A285736D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as subsections (e) through (g), respectively, and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="idF20452FC86584ED58774DCD3CA93D701"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (c) the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC983E8BAE9844828A68E52AEA3AA0AA5" style="OLC"> <subsection id="id28D0577D0DE4483FBFB19C2CF034F043"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Confidential Advisor</header> <paragraph id="idCBF0E170EFA94E0FA07C6C0D001AD2C0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Executive Director shall—</text> <subparagraph id="id22EA8D70084A4BD185A74DB7750E9076"><enum>(A)</enum><text>appoint, and fix the compensation of, and may remove, a Confidential Advisor; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id011E5ADF32334A72BEC674EB19D02581"><enum>(B)</enum><text>designate an employee of the Office to serve as a Confidential Advisor.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idD5DE97A0836B445CA7E038E966C419EF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Duties</header> <subparagraph id="idF0C7FA29EC354879B872C7D7ED77FF0E"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Voluntary services</header><text>The Confidential Advisor shall offer to provide the services described in subparagraph (B), which a covered employee may accept or decline.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5D55E8E282F54659A356881B574373F7"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Services</header><text>The services referred to in subparagraph (A) are—</text> <clause id="id8001AFC528EB457585235EBF8EA9E61B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>informing, on a confidential basis, a covered employee who has experienced a practice that may be covered discrimination or covered harassment about the employee's rights under this Act;</text> </clause><clause id="id120C563F9A2D436195F3240BE50831EB"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>consulting, on a confidential basis, with a covered employee who has experienced a practice that may be covered discrimination or covered harassment; and</text> </clause><clause id="idE43800A8BC014802BDB654F3D216CA6D"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>assisting, on a confidential basis, a covered employee who seeks consideration under title IV of an allegation involving covered discrimination or covered harassment in understanding the procedures, and the significance of the procedures, described in that title.</text> </clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph></section><section id="id205EACBC8AE049618051D3848F206B9F"><enum>207.</enum><header>Overall procedure</header> <subsection id="id412DABABABFD47C5AE144E9B2AC14290"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Voluntary proceedings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 401 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1401">2 U.S.C. 1401</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="idB82887FAC9E64262B2167CDAEC2389D8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the first sentence—</text> <subparagraph id="idEA6A8AC4EAA64685ACF134E2EBC7618F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>part A</quote> and inserting <quote>part A or B</quote>;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idF755B571DE0D40EA95D312DCDB23E1C9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by inserting <quote>, which shall be voluntary in the case of an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment</quote> before the semicolon; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id86C58D62A41D45B0871F79102A755641"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by inserting <quote>, which shall be voluntary in the case of an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment</quote> before the semicolon; and</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id5B9EA39C7A2744AD97009F5EB89A93FA"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the second sentence, by inserting <quote>(or a request for counseling, mediation, or a hearing, concerning an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment)</quote> after <quote>for counseling under section 402</quote>.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id050B6EAC0E6C4A63A9BFEEE57356CA6B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Notification</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 401 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, as amended by subsection (a), is further amended—</text> <paragraph id="idC9E4C4A8F5E44785A3691A29A98A65EF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>Except</quote> and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idEEF57D029B214DCDA9DE4C7A0C2043B1" style="OLC"> <subsection id="id0047467104C14D95A74BCA06FF75EE08"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Overall procedure</header><text>Except</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph><paragraph id="id419254BFD9D641D191BA00FF07191C8E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3CFAF317039A4635A1B685B3C4870610" style="OLC"> <subsection id="id07B32A9FA6A147B1928A8454EEB81547"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Notification after allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment</header><text>On receiving a request, under this title, for counseling or another proceeding for consideration of alleged covered discrimination or covered harassment, the Office shall provide to the employee written notification that describes the rights, protections, and procedures applicable to a covered employee who is raising such an allegation.</text> </subsection><subsection id="idADC0B3A5DBBA4D2DA5FC6FC68B71BA52"><enum>(c)</enum><header>No requirement To present allegation first to employing office</header><text>Notwithstanding any provision of law, regardless of whether a covered employee follows the employing office's procedures for initially presenting an allegation, or information about the allegation, of covered discrimination or covered harassment to the employing office—</text> <paragraph id="id6E5301C165214E05BAA0E089CF710178"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the covered employee is privileged to request and obtain, under this title, counseling or another proceeding for consideration of alleged covered discrimination or covered harassment; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id08355BBFD76D4FE5A2F2D2B9E4897BC7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the covered employee—</text> <subparagraph id="idCF83F37D49A849CC85A90255B417746B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>may file a complaint with the Office in accordance with section 405 or file a civil action with a court in accordance with section 408;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id44BF70303E0342A596479EC47C5C370A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>may proceed without prejudice under the corresponding procedures specified in title IV including obtaining any available remedy; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id221B7B719B6D4694AB3C54CFA1D9B93F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>shall be entitled to protection from intimidation, reprisal, or other discrimination described in section 207 as provided in that section.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HEA42EE260D2C4D2C922F5B8E18FA0860"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Availability of remote work assignment or paid leave during pendency of procedures</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 401 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1401">2 U.S.C. 1401</external-xref>), as amended by subsection (b), is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H52AB3C02565D4D23AF99D0087E1F0BCD" style="OLC"> <subsection id="H485C912644044C219B48A34100A17C02"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Availability of remote work assignment or paid leave during pendency of procedures</header> <paragraph id="H493721A8225542CD9610D0A6B72E9ED9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Requirements for employing offices</header> <subparagraph id="H6802A4E1629244D884737390833D04F4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Remote work assignment</header><text>At the request of a covered employee who alleges covered discrimination or covered harassment by the covered employee’s employing office, during the pendency of any of the procedures available under this title for consideration of the allegation, the employing office shall permit the covered employee to carry out the employee’s responsibilities from a remote location instead of from the location of the employing office.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC3C69A8448034D5F9EA8DA4427F132A5"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Exception for work assignments required to be carried out onsite</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If, in the determination of the covered employee’s employing office, a covered employee who makes a request under this paragraph cannot carry out the employee’s responsibilities from a remote location, the employing office shall grant paid leave to a covered employee during the pendency of the procedures available under this title for the covered employee.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H4F174B537DD24BE09AD0B81DBB4F0FE6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exclusion from cap on number of employees of office of Member or committee of the House of Representatives</header><text>If the office of a Member or committee of the House of Representatives grants a covered employee of such office paid leave under paragraph (1), during the period in which the employee is on paid leave, the employee shall not be counted among the number of employees of the office—</text> <subparagraph id="H977EAC0F763D4A908595444BB95A0370"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of the office of a Member of the House, for purposes of section 104(a) of the House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/5321">2 U.S.C. 5321(a)</external-xref>); or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB00E5F9E4022416AB6713C40FA89500B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of the office of a committee of the House, for purposes of any rule or regulation of the House that governs the number of employees the committee may appoint.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H4F04EE9C6D8F4EA09C8D538398809F06"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Exception for arrangements subject to collective bargaining agreements</header><text>Paragraph (1) does not apply to the extent that it is inconsistent with the terms and conditions of any collective bargaining agreement that is in effect with respect to an employing office.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection><subsection id="H35D7FDC04A5A4A20BF9572FEA6B0187B"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Electronic reporting system</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 401 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1401">2 U.S.C. 1401</external-xref>), as amended by subsection (c), is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB0560E00E3C24561A9F87D22DAD1D8DB" style="OLC"> <subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD51FDAB7340E44C185847D48C6199DB4"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Use of electronic reporting system</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Office shall establish and operate an electronic reporting system through which a covered employee may initiate a proceeding under this title, and that will keep an electronic record of the date and time at which the proceeding is initiated.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection></section><section id="id6B25EDE03CDB431E85C61049F79AB2B0"><enum>208.</enum><header>Counseling</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 402(a) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1402">2 U.S.C. 1402(a)</external-xref>) is amended, in the first sentence—</text> <paragraph id="id9A9AC1058286456F97FAA1F714357E59"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>part A</quote> and inserting <quote>part A or B</quote>; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id345B97A111CB45BA9DB15E67DCE38D5F"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>or, in the case of an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment, may request voluntary counseling by the Office</quote> before the period.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="id2F330505BC964D75ABA83744DBC10960"><enum>209.</enum><header>Mediation</header> <subsection id="id78E40E1665974A0EA5B0E1F01B7BF253"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Voluntary mediation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 403(a) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1403">2 U.S.C. 1403(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="id330A66D9F83A4B389600EF923C8DDDAF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>Not later</quote> and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD0263A41CC3C47FCB79E54005CFD6D31" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="idFDDFA8F607F24D59883BFBD6825D4A17"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), not later</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph><paragraph id="idC520E85477204C01B4236CC1E559C4D9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id79CC042F789740A8AFF7933C61F86D7D" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="id3839F4448F2940A193DCE503F13A2982"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment</header><text>In the case of an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment—</text> <subparagraph id="idAB5850FF0F364B528ED26898956B5926"><enum>(A)</enum><text>for a covered employee who requests counseling under section 402, not later than 15 days after receipt by the employee of notice of the end of the counseling period under section 402, but prior to making an election under section 404, the covered employee who alleged a violation of a law may file a request for voluntary mediation with the Office; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id91FA0B1FCE094B3D8B6793EA7ACEBDB9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>for a covered employee who does not request such counseling, not later than 180 days after the date of the alleged violation, but prior to making an election under section 404, the covered employee may file a request for voluntary mediation with the Office.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5B9E974DDA574E348659E3AA6C0B79F9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requiring parties To be separated during mediation at request of employee</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 403(b)(2) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1403">2 U.S.C. 1403(b)(2)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>meetings with the parties</quote> and all that follows and inserting the following: “meetings with the parties—</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6E93C497666E4B49BD86829CAC66FF15" style="OLC"> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id355F769A027540219F67ED8CB1641838"><enum>(1)</enum> <text>held for the purpose of resolving the dispute between the covered employee and the employing office; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idFDC94C2E93204921B8E214C791D681B1"><enum>(2)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="idE95A6AF921974EE3B723462032CB1B3A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>except as provided in subparagraph (B), conducted separately or jointly; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id14880046C0984B869F36489534B4AB08" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>at the request of a covered employee who alleges covered discrimination or covered harassment, during which the parties shall be separated.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection></section><section id="idD2D29B6B84384F83A505F22508ED47EB"><enum>210.</enum><header>Election of proceeding</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 404 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1404">2 U.S.C. 1404</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="idCF00239E86B04CE4B318665DCF2297C4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>Not later</quote> and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id09B8720C587949318D15E26D8EAF780F" style="OLC"> <paragraph id="idC3D7AC2F6E6445D380BB57059EB5688E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in subsection (b), not later</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph><paragraph id="id757242E5869C43E58886273A738B3220"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0E48EC267E0D42548E2952AADF9BCB33" style="OLC"> <subsection id="idB73532DAD2CE4F0897DEE5098924BB37"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment</header><text>In the case of an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment—</text> <paragraph id="id12EE2061A24A495DA8628E06A6B01442"><enum>(1)</enum><text>for a covered employee who requests mediation under section 403 (or does not, but requests counseling under section 402), not later than 90 days after the end of the period of mediation (or counseling), the covered employee may either—</text> <subparagraph id="id2DF6E515CE7E42E191FC09625D9497FB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>file a complaint as described in subsection (a)(1); or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC9BF5EE4357D4609AD325F45CE98C0D2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>file a civil action as described in subsection (a)(2); and</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idB375C520EC6B4DEE96BBFDE2B4CE871D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>for a covered employee who does not request such mediation (or counseling), not later than 180 days after the date of the alleged violation, the covered employee may either—</text> <subparagraph id="id053426ED64494490B7298296B5E87513"><enum>(A)</enum><text>file a complaint as described in subsection (a)(1); or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id97058EB4A7A845BCA942A3D00184B310"><enum>(B)</enum><text>file a civil action as described in subsection (a)(2).</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph></section><section id="id088EB7A7B679442996D0D1BC2559D45E"><enum>211.</enum><header>Complaint and proceeding</header> <subsection id="id1A3A6A07E5734909AC054119E0777E43"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 405(a) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1405">2 U.S.C. 1405(a)</external-xref>) is amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA144A0D35F8B43F9841CDC48F49F8EAB" style="OLC"> <subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID6D5F2F785E9D48D28D6385149D568115"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Complaint</header> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5EF64CD95BE64E9CB873D13F8AF2019B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in paragraph (2)—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idEAAEBEEF3B1141C5AF525363BEC978A8"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a covered employee may, upon the completion of mediation under section 403, file a complaint with the Office; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5275C86E85274C85AECAA1B6DDAB2D99"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the respondent to the complaint shall be the employing office—</text> <clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID111F0AE7834C4D768B18B521286B9D87"><enum>(i)</enum><subclause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="idD61E7F7211EF45919E36277FB16581C5"><enum>(I)</enum><text>involved in the violation; or</text> </subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1457F7660A7041E1812DC70C93331577" indent="up1"><enum>(II)</enum><text>in which the violation is alleged to have occurred; and</text> </subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDA6C52CDE3E114BF3925588CF94135CF7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>about which mediation was conducted.</text> </clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD1AB19245B0E4AD2B5675ECB0A789B04"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the case of an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id191760FC27A249DD8A3B0E9F228ACDD7"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a covered employee may file a complaint with the Office as described in section 404(b); and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0F3D7416E2B346BC84D2882C8F13E3FE"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the respondent to the complaint shall be the employing office—</text> <clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCC7DE8AC8FDA4CAAAFCA58291D9CF954"><enum>(i)</enum><text>involved in the violation; or</text> </clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id99A5A9FDD4B54F19A7A38F6246667DAC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in which the violation is alleged to have occurred.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection><subsection id="id71F11E2F746048A0B73764D8F23215B3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Investigatory powers</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 405 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1405">2 U.S.C. 1405</external-xref>) is amended by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC8C0AC3C2C1643088F5AB249D0E7EF9F" style="OLC"> <subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID795B528276794F2999FA98B2B39FABC6"><enum>(e)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Investigations and discovery</header> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id428F016BFE0B4596912E012CB0D5CB07"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Investigations</header><text>The Office shall have the authority to conduct investigations regarding complaints of covered discrimination or covered harassment filed under this section, including investigations with respect to practices experienced by former covered employees that may be covered discrimination or covered harassment.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3B448955500040AD95B5A572751F59BB"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Discovery</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Reasonable prehearing discovery may be permitted at the discretion of the hearing officer regarding a complaint filed under this section.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>. </after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection></section><section id="idADAE6940FC614DB885EDC9BD8E5AA57E"><enum>212.</enum><header>Judicial review</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 407 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1407">2 U.S.C. 1407</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="idA14CA3ED622745688B9AEA75F08D0D98"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (a)(1)—</text> <subparagraph id="id38BE3C19A1614AC3B11964AB9D109BB1"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>part A</quote> and inserting <quote>part A or B</quote>;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id59B1E7B4F32642B392878C8F06D82792"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking subparagraph (B); and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8B47BAEF14BB49BA82B9E82551A22465"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively; and</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id184E1E0C3C684AF18D609D0FE8FD153D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)—</text> <subparagraph id="id60BBEE3668EC4B43AC3C45D1FC2F7FC8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>subsection (a)(1) (A) or (B)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (a)(1)(A)</quote>; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="idD4243CBEDF504DA184C0941BDB7E0172"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraphs (1) and (2), by striking <quote>subsection (a)(1) (C) or (D)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (a)(1) (B) or (C)</quote>.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></section><section id="id8C9E71DC0BFD432E8AF5F8240757DAC8"><enum>213.</enum><header>Civil action</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 408(a) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1408">2 U.S.C. 1408(a)</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="id1F2A4587491342E6A5D00747E9344FD3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the first sentence, by striking <quote>who has completed counseling under section 402 and mediation under section 403</quote> and inserting <quote>who meets the applicable requirements of section 404</quote>; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id19C9A8AE680B4C4D93EC31E8A58A7739"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the second sentence, by inserting <quote>or a violation that is covered discrimination or covered harassment</quote> before the period.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="id601A513795144967A50D72D3E1BBD399"><enum>214.</enum><header>Settlements</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 414 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1414">2 U.S.C. 1414</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="idFA40AB889841443D88EEBCAEF369C901"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>Any</quote> and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3EF20D8D0A284019BDFF0EACE23B4420" style="OLC"> <subsection id="id2EE2353C677A4C7DA462243053CCBDDD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph><paragraph id="id2D2340DA0731431FA9F9DDD39CC905C5"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in the first sentence, by striking <quote>210,</quote>;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="idE4BF39274A97411DA25401D937976347"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after the first sentence the following: <quote>Such a settlement that relates, in part or in whole, to an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment by a Member of Congress (as defined in section 415(f)) shall be publicly disclosed by the Office, unless the covered employee bringing the allegation objects or the Member obtains a nondisclosure determination under subsection (b).</quote>; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="ida01da8f8e6c04eeda38efbbb567a3d11"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by adding to the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id237158bffd844a3d9509774323871ee3" style="OLC"> <subsection id="id80c8f5628560435eb72864116af77b40"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Exception</header><text>In the case of a settlement that relates, in part or in whole, to an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment by a Member of Congress (as defined in section 415(f)), in a situation in which the covered employee involved does not object to public disclosure of the settlement, the Member may request a nondisclosure determination. If the appropriate committee finds by a preponderance of the evidence, based on any record from a proceeding under this title that may have existed on the date of the settlement, and using a rebuttable presumption in favor of requiring disclosure, that the Member has not engaged in the alleged covered discrimination or covered harassment, the committee shall issue a nondisclosure determination. The committee shall issue the determination and the committee's rationale for the determination in writing.</text> </subsection><subsection id="id3C8BC7B4D3F4407FA4BFCFB143B76065"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text> <paragraph id="idDB360530D34D41E4AFB10A015190C223"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Appropriate committee</header><text>The term <term>appropriate committee</term> has the meaning given the term in section 415(f).</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id93E011DE49B547AC97CD72C1D9949446"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Nondisclosure determination</header><text>The term <term>nondisclosure determination</term> means a determination from the appropriate committee that the settlement shall not be publicly disclosed under subsection (a).</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph></section><section id="H5563D480C1E14932B3F148DD714EB3E9"><enum>215.</enum><header>Personal liability of Members of Congress</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 415 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1415">2 U.S.C. 1415</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="idF00437D6A3BE4486AFE327AE07F7F989"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a), by inserting after the first sentence the following: <quote>Under no circumstances may an employing office use funds from the Members’ Representational Allowance under section 101 of the House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/5341">2 U.S.C. 5341</external-xref>), the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account, or any appropriated funds other than funds appropriated under this subsection, for the payment of awards and settlements under this Act.</quote>;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id450A7AAECF1644249E9921710F611365"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (c), by striking <quote>section 201(a)(3)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 201(a)(1)(C)</quote>; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="id723A76EDACA04A4686C782E1CDAA3011"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD78CAA1B338C4772A49222FDA2C182E6" style="OLC"> <subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6BEA024FB57249E1813CC04C8A42CFB3"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Committee approvals</header> <text>Before a payment is made from the account described in subsection (a) for a settlement for covered discrimination or covered harassment in an employing office described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 101(12), the chair and ranking member of the appropriate committee shall approve the payment.</text> </subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id84E8E50E033E464EAB2BD08E81C6F76A"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Personal liability of Members of Congress for payment of settlements and awards</header> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4C8958551869459BAE0B128993F66E79"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Reimbursement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a payment is made from the account described in subsection (a) for an award or settlement that relates, in part or in whole, to an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment by a Member of Congress, the Member of Congress who is alleged to have committed the discrimination or harassment shall, except as provided in subparagraph (2), reimburse the account for the amount of the award or settlement.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id35E80F201D2844B39FBE68FE645E4557"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exception</header><text>In the case of a settlement that relates, in part or in whole, to an allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment by a Member of Congress, the Member may request a nonreimbursement determination. If the appropriate committee finds by a preponderance of the evidence, based on any record from a proceeding under this title that may have existed on the date of the payment, and using a rebuttable presumption in favor of requiring reimbursement, that the Member of Congress has not engaged in the alleged covered discrimination or covered harassment, the committee shall issue a nonreimbursement determination. The committee shall issue the determination and the committee's rationale for the determination in writing. Unless the settlement is not publicly disclosed under section 414, such determination and rationale shall be publicly disclosed by the Office.</text> </paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA62879298ECD49AA8BFCB938FD991DDB"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Construction</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a Member of Congress to reimburse the account under paragraph (1), with respect to an allegation of covered discrimination, or covered harassment, that is wholly committed by an employee of the employing office involved.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id48439E17F9EA4A9187F671072215C75E"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section—</text> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3541BDCF1EB441368683E3EB15B92689"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the term <term>appropriate committee</term> means—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id07910C67602A434181C98BA3CCAE7C67"><enum>(A)</enum><text>if the personal office of a Member of, or a Committee of, the House of Representatives, or a joint committee chaired by such a Member, seeks a payment under subsection (d), or a Member of the House of Representatives seeks a determination under subsection (e), the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC2DEC0BE2B8842CD8B7255927D77D898"><enum>(B)</enum><text>if the personal office of a Senator, or a Committee of the Senate, or a joint committee chaired by a Senator, seeks a payment under subsection (d), or a Senator seeks a determination under subsection (e), the Senate Select Committee on Ethics;</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idF3B2945C29A94D13B1D6B41752DC86C7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the term <term>covered discrimination or covered harassment by a Member of Congress</term> means—</text> <subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idF4B6A84AF57D4C37BFF634A2AE009A64"><enum>(A)</enum><text>covered discrimination that was committed personally by a Member of Congress;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3BB8834C98FA483EBFA6B40FF449B95B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>quid pro quo covered harassment that was committed personally by a Member of Congress; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idE39C457679264B799E1F9D594EB45570"><enum>(C)</enum><text>hostile environment covered harassment if a Member of Congress personally committed—</text> <clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id567F4B7BE5C74CD687821A120BE3EB02"><enum>(i)</enum><text>severe conduct that created a hostile environment; or</text> </clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idB505E34ECA6544E6A77F4542A1D483F1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>at least one act that was part of pervasive conduct that created a hostile environment; and</text> </clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idEA755DBBA23C4C639583A74D432BA766"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the term <term>nonreimbursement determination</term> means a determination from the appropriate committee that the Member shall not be responsible for reimbursement under subsection (a).</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph></section><section id="id6C656BBD88A548A1B8DBDC8063A7BFFE"><enum>216.</enum><header>Confidentiality</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 416 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1416">2 U.S.C. 1416</external-xref>) is amended—</text> <paragraph id="id783375C817254F3DA1F0082EEDE2C81D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (f)—</text> <subparagraph id="id23BEA1BF49A44A6CA23B49EDBC06BA28"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or in favor of the charging party under section 210,</quote>; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="id483B5FBE43F34F10ACB87A6EDB2B9541"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or charging party</quote>; and</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id5BB9B0092FF0457A8F93F308573C9E93"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6105bf82b1eb4298ad860bbcb50cb1c8" style="OLC"> <subsection id="ida54c76b1779349d79c8f823e2fbed423"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Clarification</header><text>Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any covered employee from disclosing information that forms the basis of the covered employee's allegation of covered discrimination or covered harassment, if the information contained in the allegation was not obtained in a confidential proceeding.</text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph></section><section id="id747389D2B1484F8485DBCD84A6BCA58B"><enum>217.</enum><header>Office of Congressional Workplace Rights</header> <subsection id="idEEE07A6BC650404BB11EBA78CA6B173E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>References</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Paragraphs (1), (2), (5)(H), (12)(D), (13), (14), and (15) of section 101 (as redesignated by section 201 of this Act), sections 210(a)(9), 215(e)(1), 220(e)(2)(G), and 301(a), and paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 304(c) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1301">2 U.S.C. 1301</external-xref>, 1331(a)(9), 1341(e)(1), 1351(e)(2)(G), 1381(a), 1384(c)) are amended by striking <quote>Office of Compliance</quote> and inserting <quote>Office of Congressional Workplace Rights</quote>.</text> </subsection><subsection id="id091F881C99A442D5A78E07C1027B23A4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Headings</header><text>Title III of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/2/1381">2 U.S.C. 1381</external-xref> et seq.) is amended by striking the headings for title III and section 301 and inserting the following:</text> <quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC3DDDA73B2FD4C6C8D1B42E2ADB0CE01" style="OLC"> <title id="id7EABD45FE7354AE68FC405657C8DE2AF" style="OLC"><enum>III</enum><header>Office of Congressional Workplace Rights</header> <section id="id9D388329513240F1937FE0D799C6A7DD"><enum>301.</enum><header>Establishment of Office of Congressional Workplace Rights</header></section>.
218.
Application of Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to the Library of Congress
(a)
Application
(1)
Application through definitions
(A)
In general
Section 101 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301), as redesignated by section 201 of this Act, is amended— (i)in paragraph (5)— (I)in subparagraph (H), by striking or at the end; (II)in subparagraph (I), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and (III)by adding at the end the following: (J)the Library of Congress, except for section 220.; and (ii)in paragraph (12)— (I)in subparagraph (C), by striking or at the end; (II)in subparagraph (D), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and (III)by adding at the end the following: (E)the Library of Congress, except for section 220.. (B)
Public services and accommodations
Section 210(a) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1331(a)) is amended— (i)in paragraph (9), by striking and at the end; (ii)in paragraph (10), by striking the period and inserting ; and; and (iii)by adding at the end the following: (11)the Library of Congress.. (C)
Labor-management regulations
Section 220(a) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1351(a)) is amended— (i)in paragraph (2), in the paragraph heading, by striking (2) Definition.— and inserting (2) Application.—; and (ii)by adding at the end the following: (3)
Definitions
For purposes of this section, the term covered employee does not include an employee of the Library of Congress, and the term employing office does not include the Library of Congress.. (2)
Conforming amendments to Act
The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) is amended— (A)in section 204(a)(2) (2 U.S.C. 1314(a)(2)), by striking and the Library of Congress each place it appears; (B)in section 205(a)(2) (2 U.S.C. 1315(a)(2)), by striking and the Library of Congress each place it appears; (C)in section 206(a)(2) (2 U.S.C. 1316(a)(2))— (i)in subparagraph (B), by striking and the Library of Congress; and (ii)in subparagraph (C), by striking and the Library of Congress; (D)in section 215(a)(2) (2 U.S.C. 1341(a)(2))— (i)in subparagraph (C), by striking , the Library of Congress,; and (ii)in subparagraph (D), by striking and the Library of Congress; and (E)in section 415(a) (2 U.S.C. 1415(a))— (i)by striking the comma after General Accounting Office and inserting or; and (ii)by striking , or the Library of Congress. (b)
Election of proceeding
(1)
Procedure
Section 401(a)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1401(a)(3)), as designated by section 207(b) of this Act, is amended— (A)in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking either; (B)in subparagraph (A), by striking , or at the end and inserting a semicolon; (C)in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and (D)by adding at the end the following: (C)in the case of a Library claimant (as defined in section 404(d)), a proceeding described in section 404(b)(3) that relates to the violation at issue.. (2)
Election
Section 404 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1404), as amended by section 210 of this Act, is further amended— (A)in subsection (a)— (i)in paragraph (1), by striking , or at the end and inserting a semicolon; (ii)in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting ; or; and (iii)by adding at the end the following: (3)in the case of a Library claimant, bring the claim, complaint, or charge that is brought for a proceeding before the corresponding Federal agency, under the corresponding direct provision.; (B)in subsection (b)— (i)in paragraph (1)— (I)in subparagraph (A), by striking or at the end; (II)in subparagraph (B), by striking and at the end; and (III)by adding at the end the following: (C)in the case of a Library claimant, bring the claim, complaint, or charge that is brought for a proceeding before the corresponding Federal agency, under the corresponding direct provision; and; and (ii)in paragraph (2)— (I)in subparagraph (A), by striking or at the end; (II)in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting ; and; and (III)by adding at the end the following: (C)in the case of a Library claimant, bring the claim, complaint, or charge that is brought for a proceeding before the corresponding Federal agency, under the corresponding direct provision.; and (C)by adding at the end the following: (c)
Election after proceedings initially brought under other civil rights or labor law
A Library claimant who initially brings a claim, complaint, or charge under a direct provision for a proceeding before a Federal agency may, prior to requesting a hearing under the agency's procedures, elect to— (1)bring any civil action relating to the claim, complaint, or charge, that is available to the Library claimant; (2)file a complaint with the Office in accordance with section 405; or (3)file a civil action in accordance with section 408 in the United States district court for the district in which the employee is employed or for the District of Columbia. (d)
Definitions
In this section: (1)
Direct act
The term direct Act means an Act (other than this Act), or provision of the Revised Statutes, that is specified in section 201, 202, 203, or 210. (2)
Direct provision
The term direct provision means a provision (including a definitional provision) of a direct Act that applies the rights or protections of a direct Act (including rights and protections relating to nonretaliation or noncoercion) to a Library claimant. (3)
Library claimant
The term Library claimant means— (A)with respect to a direct provision (other than a provision described in subparagraph (B)), an employee of the Library of Congress who is covered by that direct provision, and (B)with respect to a direct provision that applies the rights or protections of title II or III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq., 12181 et seq.), an individual who is eligible to provide services for or receive services from the Library of Congress and who is covered by that provision.. (c)
Prospective applicability
This section and the amendments made by this section— (1)shall take effect on the date of enactment of this section; and (2)shall apply to any charge, complaint, or claim, that is made on or after the date of enactment of this section, of a violation of— (A)section 201, 202, 203, 207, or 210 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1311 et seq.); or (B)a direct provision as defined in section 404(d) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1404(d) (as added by subsection (b)).
219.
Conforming amendments
The table of contents in section 1(b) the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 is amended— (1)by striking the item relating to the part heading for part A of title II and inserting the following: Part A—Employment discrimination, family and medical leave, and other protections and benefits; (2)in the items relating to part E of title II, by adding at the end the following: Sec. 226. Notices.; and(3)by striking the items relating to the title heading for title III, and section 301, and inserting the following: TITLE III—OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL WORKPLACE RIGHTS Sec. 301. Establishment of Office of Congressional Workplace Rights..