[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 15, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H558-H562]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE ANTIDISCRIMINATION ACT OF 2019
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 135) to amend the Notification and Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 to strengthen Federal
antidiscrimination laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission and expand accountability within the Federal Government, and
for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 135
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
Section 102 of the Notification and Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301
note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4), to read as follows:
``(4) accountability in the enforcement of Federal employee
rights is furthered when Federal agencies take appropriate
disciplinary action against Federal employees who have been
found to have committed discriminatory or retaliatory
acts;''; and
[[Page H559]]
(2) in paragraph (5)(A)--
(A) by striking ``nor is accountability'' and inserting
``but accountability is not''; and
(B) by inserting ``for what by law the agency is
responsible'' after ``under this Act''.
SEC. 3. NOTIFICATION OF VIOLATION.
Section 202 of the Notification and Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301
note) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Notification of Final Agency Action.--
``(1) Not later than 30 days after a Federal agency takes
final action or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
issues an appellate decision involving a finding of
discrimination or retaliation prohibited by a provision of
law covered by paragraph (1) or (2) of section 201(a), as
applicable, the head of the agency subject to the finding
shall provide notice for at least 1 year on the agency's
internet website in a clear and prominent location linked
directly from the agency's internet home page stating that a
finding of discrimination or retaliation has been made.
``(2) The notification shall identify the date the finding
was made, the date or dates on which the discriminatory or
retaliatory act or acts occurred, and the law or laws
violated by the discriminatory or retaliatory act or acts.
The notification shall also advise Federal employees of the
rights and protections available under the respective
provisions of law covered by paragraph (1) or (2) of section
201(a).''.
SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Electronic Format Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Section 203(a) of the Notification and
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of
2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301 note) is amended--
(A) by inserting ``Homeland Security and'' before
``Governmental Affairs'';
(B) by inserting ``Oversight and'' before ``Government
Reform''; and
(C) by inserting ``(in an electronic format prescribed by
the Office of Personnel Management)'' after ``an annual
report''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)(C)
shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(3) Transition period.--Notwithstanding the requirements of
section 203(a) of the Notification and Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301
note), the report required under such section may be
submitted in an electronic format, as prescribed by the
Office of Personnel Management, during the period beginning
on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the
effective date in paragraph (2).
(b) Reporting Requirement for Disciplinary Action.--Section
203 of such Act is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(c) Disciplinary Action Report.--Not later than 60 days
after the date on which a Federal agency takes final action
or a Federal agency receives an appellate decision issued by
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission involving a
finding of discrimination or retaliation in violation of a
provision of law covered by paragraph (1) or (2) of section
201(a), as applicable, the employing Federal agency shall
submit to the Commission a report stating whether
disciplinary action has been initiated against a Federal
employee as a result of the violation.''.
SEC. 5. DATA TO BE POSTED BY EMPLOYING FEDERAL AGENCIES.
Section 301(b) of the Notification and Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301
note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (9)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``, and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) for each such finding counted under subparagraph (A),
the agency shall specify--
``(i) the date of the finding;
``(ii) the affected agency;
``(iii) the law violated; and
``(iv) whether a decision has been made regarding necessary
disciplinary action as a result of the finding.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(11) Data regarding each class action complaint filed
against the agency alleging discrimination or retaliation,
including--
``(A) information regarding the date on which each
complaint was filed;
``(B) a general summary of the allegations alleged in the
complaint;
``(C) an estimate of the total number of plaintiffs joined
in the complaint if known;
``(D) the current status of the complaint, including
whether the class has been certified; and
``(E) the case numbers for the civil actions in which
discrimination or retaliation has been found.''.
SEC. 6. DATA TO BE POSTED BY THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
COMMISSION.
Section 302(b) of the Notification and Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301
note) is amended by striking ``(10)'' and inserting ``(11)''.
SEC. 7. NOTIFICATION AND FEDERAL EMPLOYEE ANTIDISCRIMINATION
AND RETALIATION ACT AMENDMENTS.
(a) Notification Requirements.--The Notification and
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of
2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301 note) is amended by adding after section
206 the following:
``SEC. 207. COMPLAINT TRACKING.
``Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2019, each Federal
agency shall establish a system to track each complaint of
discrimination arising under section 2302(b)(1) of title 5,
United States Code, and adjudicated through the Equal
Employment Opportunity process from inception to resolution
of the complaint, including whether a decision has been made
regarding necessary disciplinary action as the result of a
finding of discrimination.
``SEC. 208. NOTATION IN PERSONNEL RECORD.
``If a Federal agency takes an adverse action covered under
section 7512 of title 5, United States Code, against a
Federal employee for an act of discrimination or retaliation
prohibited by a provision of law covered by paragraph (1) or
(2) of section 201(a), the agency shall, after all appeals
relating to such action have been exhausted, include a
notation of the adverse action and the reason for the action
in the employee's personnel record.''.
(b) Processing and Referral.--The Notification and Federal
Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (5
U.S.C. 2301 note) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``TITLE IV--PROCESSING AND REFERRAL
``SEC. 401. PROCESSING AND RESOLUTION OF COMPLAINTS.
``Each Federal agency is responsible for the fair,
impartial processing and resolution of complaints of
employment discrimination and retaliation arising in the
Federal administrative process and shall establish a model
Equal Employment Opportunity Program that--
``(1) is not under the control, either structurally or
practically, of a Human Capital or General Counsel office;
``(2) is devoid of internal conflicts of interest and
ensures fairness and inclusiveness within the organization;
and
``(3) ensures the efficient and fair resolution of
complaints alleging discrimination or retaliation.
``SEC. 402. NO LIMITATION ON HUMAN CAPITAL OR GENERAL COUNSEL
ADVICE.
``Nothing in this title shall prevent a Federal agency's
Human Capital or General Counsel office from providing advice
or counsel to Federal agency personnel on the processing and
resolution of a complaint, including providing legal
representation to a Federal agency in any proceeding.
``SEC. 403. HEAD OF PROGRAM REPORTS TO HEAD OF AGENCY.
``The head of each Federal agency's Equal Employment
Opportunity Program shall report directly to the head of the
agency.
``SEC. 404. REFERRALS OF FINDINGS OF DISCRIMINATION.
``(a) EEOC Findings of Discrimination.--Not later than 30
days after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issues
an appellate decision involving a finding of discrimination
or retaliation within a Federal agency, the Commission shall
refer the matter to the Office of Special Counsel.
``(b) Referrals to Special Counsel.--The Office of Special
Counsel shall accept and review a referral from the
Commission under subsection (a) for purposes of seeking
disciplinary action under its authority against a Federal
employee who commits an act of discrimination or retaliation.
``(c) Notification.--The Office of Special Counsel shall
notify the Commission in a case in which the Office of
Special Counsel initiates disciplinary action.
``(d) Special Counsel Approval.--A Federal agency may not
take disciplinary action against a Federal employee for an
alleged act of discrimination or retaliation referred by the
Commission under this section except in accordance with the
requirements of section 1214(f) of title 5, United States
Code.''.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--The table of contents in
section 1(b) of the Notification and Federal Employee
Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (5 U.S.C. 2301
note) is amended--
(1) by inserting after the item relating to section 206 the
following:
``Sec. 207. Complaint tracking.
``Sec. 208. Notation in personnel record.'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``TITLE IV--PROCESSING AND REFERRAL
``Sec. 401. Processing and resolution of complaints.
``Sec. 402. No limitation on Human Capital or General Counsel advice.
``Sec. 403. Head of Program reports to head of agency.
``Sec. 404. Referrals of findings of discrimination.''.
SEC. 8. NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENT LIMITATION.
Section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (13)--
(A) by inserting ``or the Office of Special Counsel'' after
``Inspector General'';
(B) by striking ``implement'' and inserting ``(A)
implement''; and
(C) by striking the period that follows the quoted material
and inserting ``; or''; and
(2) by adding after subparagraph (A), as added by paragraph
(1)(B), and preceding the flush left matter that follows
paragraph (13), the following:
``(B) implement or enforce any nondisclosure policy, form,
or agreement, if such policy, form, or agreement prohibits or
restricts
[[Page H560]]
an employee from disclosing to Congress, the Office of
Special Counsel, or an Office of the Inspector General any
information that relates to any violation of any law, rule,
or regulation, or mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an
abuse of authority, or a substantial, and specific danger to
public health or safety, or any other whistleblower
protection.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms.
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
General Leave
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 135.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, today I am very pleased to bring to the floor six
bills from the Committee on Oversight and Reform. Each bill, I am very
glad to say, enjoys bipartisan sponsorship. These measures will
strengthen protections for Federal employees and for congressional
interns and enhance accountability and improve the Federal procurement
and grant processes.
The first measure we are bringing today is H.R. 135, the Federal
Employee Antidiscrimination Act. This bill is essentially identical to
legislation that has passed the House in each of the two previous
Congresses. In the 114th Congress, the measure passed by a vote of 403-
0; and in the last Congress, it passed by voice vote.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues--Representatives Meadows,
Norton, Sensenbrenner, and Jackson Lee--for working with me on this
measure.
{time} 1245
I thank them for their leadership and their commitment for improving
our Federal equal opportunity programs.
Let me also thank Tanya Ward Jordan, Paulette Taylor, and all the
members of the Coalition 4 Change, known as C4C, for their work on this
measure and for their years of perseverance as we have worked to try to
get this measure enacted into law.
One of my highest priorities as chairman of the Oversight Committee
is to protect the right of every single Federal employee, every Federal
job applicant, and indeed of every citizen, to equality of opportunity.
While the clear majority of Federal workplaces are in compliance with
the standards for a model Equal Employment Opportunity program
promulgated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sadly, some
still are not. It is past time for these failures to be corrected.
During our committee's bipartisan investigations of several different
agencies--including the Forest Service, the Park Service, and the
Transportation Security Administration--we have seen firsthand the
consequences that employees suffer when agencies fail to operate model
EEO programs or when they do not handle complaints of harassment and
discrimination in a fair, timely, consistent, and thorough manner.
We have also seen how employees who file complaints with their
agencies' EEO programs can be victimized again if appropriate steps are
not taken to prevent the disclosure of complainants' identities and
personal information.
H.R. 135 would strengthen the management of Federal EEO programs by
requiring that they operate independently of agencies' human resources
and general counsel offices. H.R. 135 would require that the head of
each agency EEO program report directly to the head of the agency. This
policy is critical to ensuring that agencies prioritize their EEO
programs at the highest levels and that their sole purpose is to ensure
equal opportunity for all employees.
H.R. 135 would strengthen the accountability mechanisms that are
central to effectiveness of the EEO process. The bill would also
prohibit any forms, policies, or agreements that seek to prevent an
employee from disclosing waste, fraud, or abuse to Congress, the Office
of Special Counsel, or an Inspector General.
Madam Speaker, the provisions in this bill are very simple, and the
entire House has repeatedly supported them on a bipartisan basis. I
urge my colleagues to support H.R. 135, and I urge the Senate to pass
this bill as quickly as possible.
Let me be clear that while the measure before us is important to
improving our Federal workplaces, many of those workplaces are shut
down today, and they have been shut down longer than at any time in our
great Nation's history. As the legislation before us proves, we can
come together in a bipartisan manner to enact measures that will help
the millions of Americans who work for the Federal Government.
As I have often said, our Federal employees do not want us, the
government, to hurt them; they want us to help them. We ought to be
able to come together on a bipartisan basis and take the simple step of
reopening our government and ensuring that the programs and services on
which our Nation depends are functioning and that the people who work
for us get paid so they can take care of their families and take care
of their bills, for they give their blood, their sweat, and their tears
to keep our country together.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 135, the Federal
Employee Antidiscrimination Act. H.R. 135 amends the Notification and
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002,
commonly referred to as the No-FEAR Act, to better identify and correct
instances of discrimination throughout the Federal Government.
Specifically, H.R. 135 requires Federal agencies to establish a
system to track Equal Employment Opportunity complaints from beginning
to end. This system must also track any disciplinary action that
resulted from a finding of a discriminatory act. If a disciplinary
action is taken by an agency against an employee, both the disciplinary
action and the reason for the action must be included in the employee's
personnel record.
H.R. 135 implements notification and reporting requirements for
instances of discrimination within Federal agencies. Agencies must post
a notice on their website if the agency or Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission finds that a discriminatory or retaliatory act has occurred.
The bill also requires agencies to submit a report to the EEOC if a
discriminatory or retaliatory act is found to have occurred. The report
must include any disciplinary action initiated against an employee for
discrimination or retaliation against another employee.
Lastly, the bill bars agencies from using nondisclosure agreements or
policies to restrict Federal employees from reporting waste, fraud, and
abuse to Congress, the Office of Special Counsel, and Inspectors
General.
Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Cummings for his good work on this piece
of legislation, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for
yielding, and I particularly thank him for his remarks concerning this
bill.
I am particularly pleased to rise in support of this bill as a former
chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This bill
strengthens the protections Federal employees enjoy under the
antidiscrimination laws of our country.
It reinforces the importance of this antidiscrimination provisions by
requiring that the head of that program report directly to the agency
head. It expands notification of findings of discrimination and any
action that has been taken pursuant to those findings. Surely, we
understand the importance of this section at a time when we have just
recently passed the sexual harassment provisions, and, of course, we
can see the deterrent effect of assuring any disciplinary action that
has been taken is known to the public.
[[Page H561]]
Finally, the bill bars agreements that would keep employees from
disclosing any kind of Federal violation, as well as fraud, waste, and
abuse. The latter provision is normally called a whistleblower
provision.
Madam Speaker, I particularly appreciate that the chairman has
brought this bill to the floor--I am sure it is noncontroversial--but
he has brought it at a time when Federal employees are experiencing the
longest shutdown in U.S. history. This bill cannot and does not purport
to make up in any way for the effects of the shutdown. But this bill
sends a message to Federal employees that they are particularly valued
and, so far as I can tell, it sends it in a unanimous fashion, just as
the shutdown should have a unanimous resolution.
It happens that around 62,000 Federal employees live in my own
district, because this is the Capital of the United States--the 62,000,
I should add, who are furloughed or working with no pay.
But I want to remind Members that each and every Member of this body
has Federal employees who are at home desiring to work and are
furloughed as I speak. Though I represent a large number, some Members
from the far West States should know that they are among those who
represent the largest number of Federal employees. That is how
dependent they are far away from Washington on Federal employees.
Madam Speaker, the President seems to have moved a step away from
claiming dictatorial powers to commandeer Federal funds to open the
government. That is probably because somebody drew to his attention the
extraordinary spectrum of constitutional, legal, political, and
financial issues that would be raised, not to mention a court suit that
is probably being prepared, just in case, as I speak.
But, Madam Speaker, I am coming to the floor as well to urge our
committee--and the new Democratic majority of which I am a member--to
use this crisis of Trump's making to carefully rethink the President's
emergency powers, leaving him ample room to move in case of an actual
emergency while giving Congress more latitude to contain executive
excess.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from the
District of Columbia an additional 2 minutes.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, in the meantime, I want to lay before the
House the easiest of compromises. When I was a tenured professor of law
at Georgetown University Law School, I taught negotiations. We usually
worked with a number of issues in a negotiation at the same time.
However, the easiest compromise to reach is one that involves a number.
The number the President clings to is $5 billion. I can think of
endless ways--and I am sure every Member can--to compromise that
number.
So in the name of a mounting number of Americans who are beginning to
feel the consequences of the shutdown, though they are not Federal
employees--not to mention the Federal employees themselves--I am asking
even for my side to make a more concerted effort to reach an agreeable
number, even though the polls show that the American people are with
the Democrats on this issue.
As a suggestion, I ask that the Democrats appoint a subcommittee and
that the administration do the same to sit down and hammer out an
acceptable compromise.
For more than two centuries now, we have operated under a separation-
of-powers government to make tyrannical rule nearly impossible. Even
Trump is hesitating to declare an emergency to get his border wall.
That throws the ball in our camp, we who are Democrats who control this
House. I ask that we accept it, use it, run with it, and settle this
matter now.
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I would like to make the
gentleman from Maryland aware that I have no further speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time
remains?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maryland has 8 minutes
remaining.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I just want to associate myself with the words of the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia. So often what we see is our
Federal employees often being criticized when it came to trying to find
money when we have budgetary problems. It seems that there is an effort
to constantly go in to the Federal employees and make them pay. And
they do all kinds of jobs. I agree with the gentlewoman. This bill does
not solve the problem with the shutdown.
{time} 1300
At least I hope that we are sending a message to them that we care
about them and that we understand and we feel their pain.
I agree with the gentlewoman. In some kind of way, we ought to be
able to move from where we are to getting folks back to work, an
independent group looking at, perhaps, the issues that confront the
compromisers--that is, looking at this wall--and deal with that at some
other time. But we need to get people back to work.
People are in pain. They are feeling it. Not only are the employees
feeling it, but all the people who are coming into the various parks or
whatever, who simply want to have a nice day, who simply want to have
some reasonable entertainment that does not cost them a lot by going
for a walk in the park; for getting the services that are needed; for
making sure that our airplanes do not have folks on them carrying guns.
These folks who we saw in the airport over the weekend, they are the
same ones who are coming in day after day and working for no pay. We
are better than that, and I am praying that we will get this issue
resolved.
The gentlewoman from the District of Columbia talked about the number
of people who she has in her district who are Federal employees. We, in
Maryland, have over 100,000 Federal employees, and we have so many
people who work for the Federal Government through contracting. There
must be a way to get this done.
I am going to close, but I will give the gentlewoman her opportunity,
and then I will come back, Madam Speaker. Therefore, I reserve the
balance of my time.
Ms. FOXX of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I thank my colleagues who worked very hard on this bill: Congressman
Meadows, Congresswoman Norton, Congressman Sensenbrenner, and
Congresswoman Jackson Lee. All of them worked in a strong, bipartisan
way to make this happen.
H.R. 135 is a simple, straightforward measure that would make a
handful of changes to require the Federal agencies' equal employment
opportunity programs conform to the model standards set forth by the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and to strengthen
accountability.
This bill has had overwhelming bipartisan support from the entire
House of Representatives for years, and I urge the Senate to pass this
measure as soon as possible.
As I close, I do not want to address extraneous issues that have
previously arisen regarding this measure in the Senate Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. I want to be crystal clear
that I believe that the supervisors who engage in discriminatory or
retaliatory actions must be held accountable. However, this can be
accomplished without curtailing any existing due process rights for
Federal employees, and I will continue to oppose efforts to roll back
due process rights.
Madam Speaker, I urge the House to vote in favor of this bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 135 the
``Federal Employee Anti-Discrimination Act of 2019,'' which will
strengthen the policies governing federal agencies' management of Equal
Employment Opportunity (EEO) programs by amending the Notification and
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002.
Equal Employment Opportunity programs enable federal employees or
applicants who believe they have been the victims of discrimination to
file a complaint about the alleged discrimination.
[[Page H562]]
I support this legislation because it works to expand accountability
within the federal government as federal agencies take appropriate
disciplinary action against federal employees who have been found to
have committed discriminatory or retaliatory acts.
In 2012, federal employees and applicants for employment filed nearly
16,000 EEO complaints; most of which were handled accordingly, but some
federal agencies still have not met the standards of a model EEO
program set forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC).
This legislation would require each federal agency to ensure its EEO
program is not under the control of the agency's human resources or
general counsel offices and that the head of the program reports
directly to the agency head.
Madam Speaker, this bill would also expand the notifications that
agencies are required to provide when discrimination is found to have
occurred, and it would require agencies to track and report whether
necessary disciplinary action has been taken.
Additionally, H.R. 135 would prohibit policies, forms, or agreements
that prohibit or restrict an employee from disclosing to Congress, the
Office of Special Counsel, or any Inspector General any information
that relates to any violation of any law, rule, or regulation or any
instance of waste, fraud, or abuse.
Fighting discrimination is a commitment the federal government needs
to make, beginning with their own employees at home and abroad.
Men, women, of every race and religion deserve the same
representation and protection under the United States government, and
in order to fulfill the requirements of their job to the best of their
ability, their right to not be discriminated against needs to be
upheld.
In 2013, Texas employers received almost 10 percent of the nation's
federal employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation
allegations, at about 9,000 total charges.
I support this legislation because I support the rights of federal
employees to feel safe and represented in their working environments,
and obtain the correct protection they desire and deserve.
For these reasons, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.
135 to strengthen the policies surrounding work place discrimination in
the federal government.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 135.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________