[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 83 (Monday, May 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 NOTICE OF ISSUANCE OF FINAL REGULATIONS PURSUANT TO THE CONGRESSIONAL 
                           ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

                                                     May 16, 2022.
     Hon. Patrick J. Leahy,
     President Pro Tempore of the Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: On May 10, 2022, the House of 
     Representatives passed House Resolution 1096, thereby 
     approving the regulations adopted by the Board of Directors 
     of the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights that were 
     promulgated under section 220(e)(1) of the Congressional 
     Accountability Act (CAA), 2 U.S.C. Sec. 1351(e)(1), to the 
     extent such regulations are consistent with the provisions of 
     the CAA. The approved regulations govern unionizing and 
     collective bargaining rights in the House offices listed in 
     section 220(e)(2) of the CAA.
       Section 304 of the CAA, (2 U.S.C. Sec. 1384) provides that, 
     after congressional approval of substantive regulations, the 
     Board shall submit the regulations to the Speaker of the 
     House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the 
     Senate. Accordingly, on behalf of the Board of Directors of 
     the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, I am 
     transmitting the enclosed Notice of Issuance of Final 
     Regulations, together with a copy of the final regulations.
       The CAA further specifies that the enclosed notice be 
     published in the Congressional Record on the first day on 
     which both the House and the Senate are in session following 
     this transmittal. Because the approved regulations only 
     govern rights in the House offices listed in section 
     220(e)(2) of the CAA, the Board requests publication only in 
     the Congressional Record for the House.
           Sincerely,

                                       Barbara Childs Wallace,

                                  Chair of the Board of Directors,
                         Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.
       Attachment.

                Notice of Issuance of Final Regulations

       The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) was 
     enacted into law on January 23, 1995. In general, the CAA 
     applies the rights and protections of 14 federal labor and 
     employment law statutes to covered congressional employees 
     and employing offices. Section 220 of the CAA addresses the 
     application of chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code 
     (chapter 71), relating to Federal Service Labor-Management 
     Relations. Section 220(a) of the CAA applies the rights, 
     protections, and responsibilities established under sections 
     7102, 7106, 7111 through 7117, 7119 through 7122, and 7131 of 
     chapter 71 to employing offices, covered employees, and 
     representatives of covered employees.
       Section 220(d) of the Act requires the Board of Directors 
     of the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (Board) to 
     issue regulations to implement section 220. The Board adopted 
     final regulations under section 220(d) on July 9, 1996; 
     Congress subsequently approved those regulations; and they 
     became effective on November 30, 1996.
       Section 220(e)(1) of the CAA further requires that the 
     Board issue regulations ``on the manner and extent to which 
     the requirements and exemptions of chapter 71 . . . should 
     apply to covered employees who are employed in the offices 
     listed in'' section 220(e)(2). The offices listed in section 
     220(e)(2) include:
       (A) the personal office of any Member of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (B) a standing, select, special, permanent, temporary, or 
     other committee of the House of Representatives;
       (C) the Office of the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of the Majority Leader of the 
     House of Representatives, the Office of the Minority Leader 
     of the House of Representatives, the Offices of the Chief 
     Deputy Majority Whips, the Offices of the Chief Deputy 
     Minority Whips, and the following offices within the Office 
     of the Clerk of the House of Representatives: Offices of 
     Legislative Operations, Official Reporters of Debate, 
     Official Reporters to Committees, Printing Services, and 
     Legislative Information;
       (D) the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of the General Counsel of the 
     House of Representatives, the Office of the Parliamentarian 
     of the House of Representatives, and the Office of the Law 
     Revision Counsel;
       (E) the offices of any caucus or party organization within 
     the House of Representatives;
       (F) the Office of the Majority Whip of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of the Minority Whip of the House 
     of Representatives, the Office of House Employment Counsel, 
     the Immediate Office of the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives, the Immediate Office of the Chief 
     Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, the 
     Office of Legislative Computer Systems of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of Finance of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Immediate Office of the Sergeant at 
     Arms of the House of Representatives.
       On August 19, 1996, the Board, pursuant to section 
     220(e)(1), adopted and submitted for publication in the 
     Congressional Record Regulations Relating to the House of 
     Representatives and Its Employing Offices, which are attached 
     to this Notice. On May 10, 2022, the House of Representatives 
     passed House Resolution 1096, thereby approving these 
     regulations to the extent such regulations are consistent 
     with the provisions of the CAA.
       Section 220(f)(2) of the CAA provides that, ``[w]ith 
     respect to the offices listed in subsection (e)(2), to the 
     covered employees of such offices, and to representatives of 
     such employees, [section 220] shall be effective on the 
     effective date of regulations under subsection (e).'' 
     Pursuant to section 304 of the CAA, 2 U.S.C. Sec. 1384, 
     approved regulations become effective not less than 60 days 
     after the date on which they are published in the 
     Congressional Record. Although the Board has the authority to 
     provide for an earlier effective date for good cause found, 
     the Board does not find good cause to provide for an earlier 
     effective date for these regulations. Therefore, these 
     regulations will become effective 60 days after the date on 
     which they are published in the Congressional Record.
       Accordingly, having now been approved by the House, the 
     Board submits its regulations to the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives for publication in the Congressional Record.

                                       Barbara Childs Wallace,

                                  Chair of the Board of Directors,
                         Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.

                           Final Regulations

     Regulations Relating to the House of Representatives and Its 
         Employing Offices

                                H Series

    H2472 Specific regulations regarding certain offices of Congress

     H2472.1 Purpose and Scope
       The regulations contained in this section implement the 
     provisions of chapter 71 as applied by section 220 of the CAA 
     to covered employees in the following employing offices:
       (A) the personal office of any Member of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (B) a standing, select, special, permanent, temporary, or 
     other committee of the House of Representatives;
       (C) the Office of the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of the Majority Leader of the 
     House of Representatives, the Office of the Minority Leader 
     of the House of Representatives, the Offices of the Chief 
     Deputy Majority Whips, the Offices of the Chief Deputy 
     Minority Whips, and the following offices within the Office 
     of the Clerk of the House of Representatives: Offices of 
     Legislative Operations, Official Reporters of Debate, 
     Official Reporters to Committees, Printing Services, and 
     Legislative Information;
       (D) the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of the General Counsel of the 
     House of Representatives, the Office of the Parliamentarian 
     of the House of Representatives, and the Office of the Law 
     Revision Counsel;
       (E) the offices of any caucus or party organization within 
     the House of Representatives;
       (F) the Office of the Majority Whip of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of the Minority Whip of the House 
     of Representatives, the Office of House Employment Counsel, 
     the Immediate Office of the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives, the Immediate Office of the Chief 
     Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, the 
     Office of Legislative Computer Systems of the House of 
     Representatives, the Office of Finance of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Immediate Office of the Sergeant at 
     Arms of the House of Representatives.
     H2472.2 Application of Chapter 71
       (a) The requirements and exemptions of chapter 71 of title 
     5, United States Code, as made applicable by section 220 of 
     the CAA, shall apply to covered employees who are employed in 
     the offices listed in section H2472.1 in the same manner and 
     to the same extent as those requirements and exemptions are 
     applied to other covered employees.
       (b) The regulations of the Office, as set forth at section 
     2420-29 and 2470-71, shall apply to the employing offices 
     listed in section H2472.1, covered employees who are employed 
     in those offices, and representatives of those employees.

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