[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12404-S12405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE WHITE HOUSE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, the Senate today will pass a bill to 
eliminate an unfortunate double standard that has remained in the 
application of our civil rights and labor laws.
  James Madison wrote that an effective control against oppressive 
measures from the Federal Government on the people is that Government 
leaders ``can make no law which will not have its full operation on 
themselves and their friends, as well as the great mass of the 
society.''
  Last year, this Congress--under Republican leadership--passed the 
Congressional Accountability Act, requiring the Congress to live under 
the laws it passes--and oftentimes imposes--on the rest of the Nation. 
The White House, however, has remained exempt from these laws. After 
prodding from this Congress, the White House now agrees that this 
double standard should no longer exist, and our negotiations this week 
have led to final passage of the White House Accountability Act.
  For many years I supported the Congressional Accountability Act, and 
was glad to see this important legislation become law. For me, this was 
an issue of fundamental fairness. Congress should live under the laws 
it passes, and the White House should be no exception. H.R. 3452 will 
allow all lawmakers--on Capitol Hill and in the Office of the 
President--to learn firsthand which laws work, and perhaps more often 
than not, which laws are overly intrusive and burdensome.
  I think America's labor leaders will agree with me when I say that 
employees of the White House should be protected by the same laws that 
the President approves for the rest of the country. Employees should 
have the same rights and protections regardless of where they work--
whether the individual labors in the private sector, the Congress, and 
yes, even in the White House.
  The White House Accountability Act applies to all workers at the 
White House except those appointed by the President with Senate 
confirmation, those appointed to advisory committees, and members of a 
uniformed service. This legislation requires the White House to enforce 
11 civil rights and labor laws for its workers as a matter of law, not 
just a matter of policy. These standards include the Civil Rights Act, 
the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, 
OSHA, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  This is a bipartisan bill that passed the House of Representatives 
last week on a vote of 410-5. The White House asked for some 
modifications to the House legislation, and while I did not agree with 
all of their requests, we have reached an accommodation that will--for 
the first time in our history--give White House employees protection 
under the law. I also am encouraged that we were able to persuade the 
White House to accept a provision ensuring that White House employees 
will not lose their jobs if they take time off under the Family and 
Medical

[[Page S12405]]

Leave Act to care for a newborn or sick child, a spouse, or a parent. 
This is a significant victory for the families of employees who work in 
the Executive Office of the President.
  Mr. President, American workers deserve the right to be free from 
discrimination, the right to work in a safe and healthy work 
environment, the right not to be harassed or fired simply because or 
race, sex, disability, or age. White House workers deserve the same 
rights and protections that now extend from our Nation's assembly lines 
to our Nation's general assembly. The bill we are passing today ensures 
that those rights will be enforced for employees of the White House.


                           Amendment No. 5434

     (Purpose: To improve the remedial and enforcement provisions)

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, Senator Coats has an amendment at the desk. 
I ask for its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Lott), for Mr. Coats, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 5434.

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  (The text of the amendment is printed in today's Record under 
``Amendments Submitted.'')
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment 
be considered agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 5434) was agreed to.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
deemed read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill appear at 
the appropriate point in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 3452), as amended, was deemed read a third time, and 
passed.

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