[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11107-H11108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT AMENDMENTS

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 3571) to amend the Congressional Accountability 
Act of 1995 to permit individuals who have served as employees of the 
Office of Compliance to serve as Executive Director, Deputy Executive 
Director, or General Counsel of the Office, and to permit individuals 
appointed to such positions to serve one additional term.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3571

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

     SECTION 1. PERMITTING FORMER OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE EMPLOYEES 
                   TO SERVE IN APPOINTED POSITIONS WITH OFFICE.

       Section 301(d)(2)(B) of the Congressional Accountability 
     Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1381(d)(2)(B)) is amended by striking 
     ``legislative branch,'' and inserting ``legislative branch 
     (other than the Office),''.

     SEC. 2. PERMITTING ADDITIONAL TERM FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 
                   DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, AND GENERAL COUNSEL 
                   OF OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Executive director.--Section 302(a)(3) of the 
     Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 
     1382(a)(3)) is amended by striking ``a single term'' and 
     inserting ``not more than 2 terms''.
       (2) Deputy executive directors.--Section 302(b)(2) of such 
     Act (2 U.S.C. 1382(b)(2)) is amended by striking ``a single 
     term'' and inserting ``not more than 2 terms''.
       (3) General counsel.--Section 302(c)(5) of such Act (2 
     U.S.C. 1382(c)(5)) is amended by striking ``a single term'' 
     and inserting ``not more than 2 terms''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to an individual who is first 
     appointed to the position of Executive Director, Deputy 
     Executive Director, or General Counsel of the Office of 
     Compliance after the date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
McCarthy) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
in the Record on H.R. 3571.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Office of Compliance is an independent agency that 
was tasked by Congress to oversee the administration of the 
Congressional Accountability Act, which provides congressional and 
legislative branch employees with workplace protections enjoyed by 
other Federal and private sector workers.
  Being responsible for the oversight of 12 workplace protection, 
health care, labor and civil rights laws is a huge task that requires a 
well-seasoned and experienced staff. Unfortunately, when the 
Congressional Accountability Act was signed into law in 1995, the law 
barred the Office of Compliance from promoting from within. This lack 
of flexibility threatens to impact the effectiveness of the office by 
preventing them from building on the expertise gained by certain 
personnel.
  This legislation would lift the current ban on hiring former 
legislative branch employees within 4 years of their appointment to the 
Office of Compliance, as well as allowing for the reappointment of 
executive staff for one additional term. Congress passed legislation 
during both the 108th Congress and 109th Congress to temporarily 
address the issue of reappointment. Both pieces of legislation, H.R. 
5122 and H.R. 3071, were noncontroversial and passed both Chambers 
unanimously.
  Let us continue to provide the Office of Compliance with the tools 
needed to carry out their mandate of ensuring that all of our workers' 
rights are protected.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3571, which provides needed 
flexibility for the Office of Compliance to fill critical positions 
within the office and to maintain institutional knowledge within the 
office.
  The Office of Compliance provides an important function in the 
legislative branch. It is charged with administering and enforcing the 
Congressional Accountability Act. The act, one of the first considered 
and passed by the 104th Congress with the new Republican congressional 
majority, required Congress to comply with the same employment and 
workplace safety laws that applied to the private sector, including the 
Americans with Disabilities Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, 
and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
  Current law governing the office places limits on the appointment and 
tenure of the staff and board. These limits, placed in part to preserve 
the integrity and independence of the office, have unfortunately 
resulted in the board's inability to fill vacancies with the best-
qualified candidates.
  In addition, GAO has recommended, and the board agreed, that Congress 
amend the law to allow for reappointment of board members and staff to 
an

[[Page H11108]]

additional term in the office to maintain institutional continuity and 
to ``prevent the loss of critical organizational knowledge'' within the 
office.
  This bill is a commonsense adjustment of current law, and I recommend 
my colleagues support the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3571.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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