[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.
____________________