Requiring each employing office of the House of Representatives to adopt an anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy for the office's workplace, establishing the Office of Employee Advocacy to provide legal assistance and consultation to employees of the House regarding procedures and proceedings under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, and for other purposes.
Latest action · Feb 6, 2018 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Progress
Where this resolution reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried. A simple resolution is the business of one chamber alone: it is not sent to the other chamber or to the President, and does not become law.
- IntroducedFeb 5, 2018
- Agreed to in HouseFeb 6, 2018
Summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
(Sec. 1) Requires each employing office of the House of Representatives to adopt an anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy.
Directs the Committee on House Administration, by June, 1, 2018, to promulgate regulations to carry out this resolution and ensure their consistency with requirements of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), the House Code of Official Conduct, and other relevant laws, rules, and regulations.
(Sec. 2) Establishes the House Office of Employee Advocacy (OEA) to: (1) provide legal assistance to House employees regarding CAA procedures, including those applicable to civil actions; and (2) operate an employee hotline.
Prohibits the OEA from: (1) accepting awards of litigation expenses or costs under CAA hearings or civil actions, and (2) providing assistance to an employee after the individual files a civil action.
(Sec. 3) Requires the Office of the House Employment Counsel to continue carrying out all of its current functions.
(Sec. 4) Directs the Chief Administrative Officer of the House to require: (1) House offices to certify on Payroll Authorization Forms of House employees that payroll actions are not connected to CAA awards and settlements, and (2) House Members to certify on such forms that Members' Representational Allowance is not being used for CAA awards or settlements.
(Sec. 5) Amends Rule XXIII (Code of Official Conduct) of the Rules of the House to prohibit: (1) a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House from committing sexual harassment or engaging in unwelcome sexual advances; and (2) sexual relationships between Members and employees (except between married individuals).
(Sec. 7) Bars the House Office of Congressional Ethics from initiating or continuing any investigation of an allegation of violation under CAA rights and protections, or making recommendations regarding such an allegation, if the employee initiates proceedings regarding the alleged violation under CAA administrative and judicial dispute-resolution procedures.
Cosponsors 38
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 5, 2018 to Feb 6, 2018, with 12 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-NE | Adrian Smith | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| R-VA | Barbara Comstock | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| R-GA | Barry Loudermilk | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| R-AL | Bradley Byrne | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| D-CA | Jackie Speier | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| D-MD | Jamie Raskin | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| R-NC | Mark Walker | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| D-PA | Robert A. Brady | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| R-IL | Rodney Davis | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| R-IN | Susan W. Brooks | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| D-FL | Theodore E. Deutch | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| D-CA | Zoe Lofgren | Original | Feb 5, 2018 |
| D-NH | Ann M. Kuster | Feb 6, 2018 | |
| R-MO | Ann Wagner | Feb 6, 2018 | |
| R-PA | Brian K. Fitzpatrick | Feb 6, 2018 |
Actions 8
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Feb 6, 2018Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H813-814)
- Feb 6, 2018DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 724.
- Feb 6, 2018Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Feb 6, 2018Mr. Harper moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.
- Feb 6, 2018On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H813-814)
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 4822 | Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act | Related bill | Jan 18, 2018 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Congress.
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Civil actions and liability
- Congress
- Congressional committees
- Congressional officers and employees
- Congressional operations and organization
- Employment discrimination and employee rights
- Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
- House Committee on House Administration
- House of Representatives
- Lawyers and legal services
- Legislative rules and procedure
- Members of Congress
- Sex offenses
- Worker safety and health
Text 2
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Feb 6, 2018Engrossed in House
- Feb 5, 2018Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this resolution on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.