I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4690 

To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to require Members 

of Congress to reimburse the Treasury for amounts paid as awards 

and settlements under such Act in connection with violations of such 

Act consisting of acts of sexual harassment or sexual assault committed 

personally by Members of Congress. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 20, 2017 

Mr. OLSON (for himself and Ms. STEFANIK) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in 

addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a 

period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to 

require Members of Congress to reimburse the Treasury 

for amounts paid as awards and settlements under such 

Act in connection with violations of such Act consisting 

of acts of sexual harassment or sexual assault committed 

personally by Members of Congress. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Responsible Settle3 ments for Victims and Taxpayers Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PERSONAL LIABILITY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS 

5 TO REIMBURSE TREASURY FOR AMOUNTS 

6 PAID AS SETTLEMENTS AND AWARDS UNDER 

7 CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 

8 1995. 

9 (a) MANDATING REIMBURSEMENT OF AMOUNTS

10 PAID.—Section 415 of the Congressional Accountability 

11 Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1415) is amended by adding at 

12 the end the following new subsection: 

13 ‘‘(d) PERSONAL LIABILITY OF MEMBERS OF CON14 GRESS FOR PAYMENT OF SETTLEMENTS AND AWARDS.— 

15 ‘‘(1) REIMBURSEMENT OF AMOUNTS PAID.—If 

16 a payment is made from the account described in 

17 subsection (a) for an award or settlement resulting 

18 from a violation of part A of title II consisting of 

19 an act of sexual harassment or sexual assault com20 mitted personally by a Member of the House of Rep21 resentatives or a Senator, the Member or Senator 

22 shall reimburse the account for the amount of the 

23 award or settlement. 

24 ‘‘(2) USE OF THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN AGENCY

25 CONTRIBUTION AS SOURCE OF REIMBURSEMENT.—If 

26 a Member or Senator has not met the requirements 


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1 of paragraph (1) with respect to an award or settle2 ment by the end of the expiration of the 180-day pe3 riod which begins on the date the award or settle4 ment is paid, the Secretary of the Treasury shall— 

5 ‘‘(A) withhold the agency contribution oth6 erwise payable under section 8432(c)(1)(A) of 

7 title 5, United States Code, to such Member of 

8 Senator until an amount is collected equal to 

9 the award or settlement (reduced by any 

10 amount the Member or Senator has reim11 bursed); and 

12 ‘‘(B) transfer to the account described in 

13 subsection (a) such amount withheld under sub14 paragraph (A). 

15 ‘‘(3) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of the 

16 Treasury shall carry out paragraph (2) in consulta17 tion with the Executive Director of the Thrift Sav18 ings Board and— 

19 ‘‘(A) the Chief Administrative Officer of 

20 the House of Representatives, in the case of a 

21 Member of the House of Representatives; or 

22 ‘‘(B) the Secretary of the Senate, in the 

23 case of a Senator.’’. 


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1 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

2 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to payments made 

3 on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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