[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 28, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7698-H7699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1745
  AMENDING CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT TO PERMIT SECOND TERM FOR 
               BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on House Administration be discharged from further 
consideration of the bill (H.R. 5122) to amend the Congressional 
Accountability Act of 1995 to permit members of the Board of Directors 
of the Office of Compliance to serve for 2 terms, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from California?
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to 
object, though it is not my intention to object, and I yield to my 
distinguished colleague from California for an explanation.
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I offer this bill which would amend the Congressional 
Accountability Act of 1995 to permit members of the Board of Directors 
of the Office of Compliance to serve two terms instead of one. The 
committee believes that amending the act to allow for the reappointment 
of members of the Board of Directors to a second term will improve the 
efficient operation of the Office of Compliance.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his 
explanation. I applaud the effort to bring this forward. I think it 
covers four basic principles. First, fairness requires that 
congressional employees be

[[Page H7699]]

accorded the same rights and protections as other employees. Second, if 
the law is right, it should apply to Congress as well as the private 
sector. Third, if Congress lives by the same laws it applies elsewhere, 
it will write better laws. And, fourth, the constitutional separation 
of powers doctrine must be respected.
  Mr. Speaker, I do hope, however, that we are able at a future time to 
revisit a GAO recommendation. GAO recommends strongly that the 
executive director, general counsel and the two deputy executive 
directors be reappointed to serve subsequent terms in either the same 
or different positions if warranted. I think that this makes sense, and 
it is my hope and intent that the committee in working with the 
chairman can bring this to the floor at a future date.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                               H.R. 5122

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PERMITTING SECOND TERM FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF 
                   OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE.

       (a) In General.--The second sentence of section 301(e)(1) 
     of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 
     1381(e)(1)) is amended to read as follows: ``A member of the 
     Board may be reappointed, but no individual may serve as a 
     member for more than 2 terms.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to individuals serving on the Board 
     of Directors of the Office of Compliance on or after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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