[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 134 (Tuesday, August 27, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCTION OF THE CONGRESS LEADS BY EXAMPLE ACT OF 2024

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 27, 2024

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Congress Leads by 
Example Act of 2024, which would apply to the legislative branch many 
of the laws that protect employees in the private sector and the 
executive branch. Congress should abide by the laws it imposes on 
others.
  In 1995, Congress passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 
(CAA), which applied 13 existing civil rights, labor and workplace 
safety and health laws to the legislative branch. In 2018, after 
reports of sexual harassment in Congress and in light of the #MeToo 
movement, Congress passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 
Reform Act (Reform Act), which changed the name of the Office of 
Compliance to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), 
revised the process to resolve workplace claims and extended CAA 
protections to unpaid staff, interns, and fellows. It also made Members 
of Congress personally liable for their own violations of workplace 
harassment and retaliation laws.
  The CAA and the Reform Act were important steps in making the 
legislative branch accountable for its employment practices, but they 
did not finish the job. As noted, the CAA brought the legislative 
branch under 13 existing civil rights, labor and workplace safety and 
health laws but it omitted important substantive and procedural 
protections. In its three most recent Section 102(b) biennial reports 
to Congress, OCWR identified additional federal workplace laws and 
procedures that should apply to the legislative branch. This bill takes 
into account OCWR's recommendations, and seeks both to apply the 
standard of fairness for employees of the legislative branch that 
Congress requires for other employees and provide a safer work 
environment for the legislative branch and visitors by bringing the 
legislative branch obligations in line with the legal requirements for 
the private sector and the executive branch.
  This bill provides general whistleblower protections and anti-
retaliation measures and makes additional Occupational Safety and 
Health Act (OSHA) retaliation provisions applicable to the legislative 
branch. This bill also provides subpoena authority to OCWR to conduct 
inspections and investigations into OSHA violations. It also provides 
extended paid parental bereavement leave to legislative branch 
employees.
  This bill also furthers the CAA's goal of preventing workplace 
discrimination in the legislative branch by prohibiting the legislative 
branch from making adverse employment decisions based on an employee's 
wage garnishment or involvement in bankruptcy proceedings pursuant to 
the Consumer Credit Protection Act or Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy 
code.
  Finally, this bill bolsters the CAA's recordkeeping requirements. It 
applies to the legislative branch the obligation to maintain accurate 
records of safety information and employee injuries, as otherwise 
required by OSHA, as well as employee records necessary to administer 
anti-discrimination laws.
  This bill would help restore the public's trust in Congress by 
redoubling our efforts to exercise leadership by example. I urge 
support for this bill.

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