[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 122 (Monday, July 27, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCTION OF THE CONGRESS LEADS BY EXAMPLE ACT OF 2026

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 27, 2026

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Congress Leads 
by Example Act of 2026, which would apply many of the laws that protect 
employees in the private sector and the executive branch to the 
legislative 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. OCWR has identified additional federal workplace laws and 
procedures that should apply to the legislative branch. This bill 
considers OCWR's recommendations.
  This bill would provide general whistleblower protections and make 
additional Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) anti-retaliation 
provisions applicable to the legislative branch. This bill would 
provide subpoena authority to OCWR to conduct inspections and 
investigations into OSHA violations. It also would provide extended 
paid parental bereavement leave to legislative branch employees.
  This bill would further 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 would bolster the CAA's recordkeeping 
requirements. It would apply 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 my 
colleagues to support this bill.

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