[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 31 (Thursday, March 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ENHANCEMENT ACT

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                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 11, 2004

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, in passing the Congressional Accountability 
Act (CAA) back in 1995, Congress affirmed a very important principle: 
if a law is right for the private sector and the rest of the federal 
government, it is right for Congress.
  In passing CAA, we brought ourselves under 11 labor and employment 
laws from which we had previously been exempt, but it has become clear 
our work is not complete.
  Today, we introduced the Congressional Accountability Enhancement Act 
to try to further curtail the double standard that exists between 
Congress and the private sector by bringing Congress under even more of 
the laws it has passed for the rest of the country.
  Specifically, the CAA omitted Title II of the Civil Rights Act, which 
prohibits racial discrimination in places of public accommodation--like 
Member's offices or the Capitol building--to Congress. Additionally, 
CAA did not include whistleblower protections or require that the 
disabled have equal access to all electronic information, like Members' 
websites and committee hearing broadcasts.
  In addition to extending these important protections, the 
Congressional Accountability Enhancement Act would ensure Legislative 
Branch employees are protected from discrimination or termination for 
serving jury duty, declaring bankruptcy or having their wages garnished 
for debt--protections inadvertently excluded from CAA.
  We don't tolerate those kinds of discrimination in the private 
sector, and we certainly should not make excuses for them here in 
Congress. We have a responsibility as the Nation's lawmakers not only 
to lead by example, but also to share the burden we ask others to bear.
  The bottom line is, Congress should not be above the law. Our bill 
will help ensure we live by the laws we've passed.

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