I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5565 

To require a study of Federal agencies to determine which Federal agencies 

have the greatest impact on women’s participation in the workforce. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 18, 2018 

Mrs. LAWRENCE (for herself, Ms. NORTON, Ms. MOORE, Ms. LEE, Mr. 

GOMEZ, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. COOPER, Ms. TITUS, Mr. SEAN PATRICK

MALONEY of New York, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. 

RASKIN, Ms. BASS, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Ms. CLARKE of New York, 

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. AL

GREEN of Texas, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, and Ms. 

CLARK of Massachusetts) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To require a study of Federal agencies to determine which 

Federal agencies have the greatest impact on women’s 

participation in the workforce. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Women’s Equality 

5 Workforce Oversight Act’’ or the ‘‘WE Work Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. G.A.O. STUDY. 

2 (a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 6 months 

3 after the date of enactment of this Act, and every year 

4 thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States 

5 shall conduct a study of Federal agencies to determine 

6 which agencies have the greatest impact on women’s par7 ticipation in the workforce, and evaluate the impact of 

8 these agencies. 

9 (b) SUGGESTED AGENCIES.—Such agencies shall in10 clude, at a minimum— 

11 (1) the Department of Labor, specifically the 

12 Women’s Bureau at such Department; 

13 (2) the Department of Transportation; 

14 (3) the Small Business Administration, includ15 ing the Office of Women’s Business Ownership; and 

16 (4) any apprenticeship program that receives 

17 funding from a Federal agency. 

18 SEC. 3. CONTENTS OF STUDY. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—The study required by section 2 

20 shall review and evaluate the following factors, for those 

21 agencies that the Comptroller General has identified as 

22 having the greatest impact on women’s participation in the 

23 workforce, including the following: 

24 (1) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.—The study 

25 shall examine— 


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1 (A) each agency’s policies and procedures 

2 related to improving women’s participation in 

3 the workforce, including efforts related to fair 

4 compensation, benefits, such as paid leave and 

5 workplace supports for pregnancy and families, 

6 participation in non-traditional and higher-pay7 ing jobs, enforcement of workplace rights, and 

8 prevention of sexual and other harassment; 

9 (B) each agency’s compliance with its stat10 utory and regulatory requirements on these 

11 matters; 

12 (C) any policy changes in the agency with13 in the study period, and the reasoning for such 

14 changes; and 

15 (D) any procedural changes to the agency’s 

16 reporting and participation within the agency. 

17 (2) IMPACT.—The study shall also examine— 

18 (A) the number of women who received 

19 technical assistance, grants, loans, contracts, 

20 and other services from the agency in each fis21 cal year, and the number of such individuals 

22 who received these services in the prior five fis23 cal years; 


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1 (B) the number of organizations who re2 ceived such outreach, services, and other en3 gagement with the agency; 

4 (C) the extent of the agency’s outreach 

5 and public education efforts for women, includ6 ing the publication of reports and statistics, 

7 public announcement of enforcement actions, 

8 and regional outreach engaging local stake9 holders; 

10 (3) APPROPRIATIONS AND STAFF.—The study 

11 shall consider— 

12 (A) any reductions to appropriations and 

13 obligations for each agency and the actual and 

14 projected impact of these reductions; and 

15 (B) any staff reductions in each agency, 

16 including attrition, vacancies, and positions 

17 eliminated and the impact of these changes. 

18 (b) ANALYSIS.—The study shall also include an anal19 ysis of the specific barriers to women’s participation in 

20 the workforce, including an assessment of further opportu21 nities to reduce those barriers. 

22 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

23 A report containing the results of the study and anal24 ysis shall be transmitted annually to the Committees on 

25 Oversight and Government Reform and Education and the 


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1 Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Com2 mittees on Homeland Security and Government Affairs 

3 and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate. 

Æ 


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