[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 2 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S478-S479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that my name be 
added as a cosponsor of the Congressional Accountability Act. I have 
cosponsored this legislation during the past several years because of 
my strong belief that what is fair is fair and what is right is right--
whether it is in the halls of Congress or the factories, shops and 
offices throughout America.
  Traditionally, Congress has exempted itself from fair labor 
practices, occupational safety and health, age discrimination and many 
other laws with which 
[[Page S479]] the private sector as well as other branches of 
government must comply. This legislation will require Congress to 
comply with those laws.
  I am glad to see us take up this legislation and act swiftly on it. 
It is long overdue. The U.S. Senate should practice what we preach. We 
should go by the same rules we establish for everyone else.
  The critical need for this legislation was made clear to me over the 
last few years by the appalling stories I heard from employees of one 
of the instrumentalities of the Congress, the Architect of the Capitol. 
The Architect oversees more than 2,000 employees in the skilled trades 
as well as occupations such as restaurant worker, janitor, and laundry 
worker.
  Historically, there was no oversight, no fair and independent appeals 
mechanism, and no clear written management procedures governing the 
working conditions for these employees. And what happened? A plantation 
mentality emerged, in which employees were discriminated against, 
harassed, and denied opportunities for promotion and advancement. When 
these employees wanted to complain, they felt they had nowhere to go--
so they came to me.
  I was proud to take up their cause and proud that last year, the 
Congress enacted the Architect of the Capitol Human Resources Act, 
finally providing clear guidelines for modern management practices. I 
am proud to have been among the first Members of Congress to win real 
congressional reform with the passage of this legislation.
  Now it is time to apply similar fair and modern management practices 
to the rest of the congressional work force: the House and Senate 
Sergeants at Arms, the Capitol Police, and our own staffs in Senators' 
and Representatives' offices and on the committees. That's why I'm 
happy to lend my name to this needed legislation.
  I thank my colleagues and I yield the floor.
  

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