I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4792 

To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that agencies may not 

deduct labor organization dues from the pay of Federal employees, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 30, 2014 

Mr. MEADOWS (for himself, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. HENSARLING, Mrs. ELLMERS, Mr. 

FARENTHOLD, Mr. STUTZMAN, Mrs. LUMMIS, Mr. HUELSKAMP, Ms. 

JENKINS, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. SESSIONS, 

Mr. SCHWEIKERT, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. FINCHER, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. 

DESJARLAIS, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mrs. BLACK, Mr. CARTER, Mr. 

BRADY of Texas, Mr. BARR, Mr. ROSS, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. WOMACK, Mr. 

GOWDY, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. COBLE, Mr. KING of Iowa, 

Mr. POMPEO, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. PERRY, Mr. SCALISE, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. BENTIVOLIO, Mr. DESANTIS, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, and Mr. JORDAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that agencies may not deduct labor organization dues from the 

pay of Federal employees, and for other purposes. 

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


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4792 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Empower Employees 

3 Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. LABOR ORGANIZATION DUES NOT DEDUCTIBLE 

5 FROM PAY. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 71 of title 5, United 

7 States Code, is amended by striking section 7115 and in8 serting the following: 

9 ‘‘§ 7115. Labor organization dues not deductible from 

10 pay 

11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An agency may not deduct any 

12 amount from the pay of an employee for the dues of a 

13 labor organization. 

14 ‘‘(b) RESTRICTION.—Appropriated funds may not be 

15 used to pay an employee who makes deductions described 

16 in subsection (a). 

17 ‘‘(c) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 

18 term ‘agency’ means— 

19 ‘‘(1) an Executive agency (as defined in section 

20 105), the United States Postal Service, and the 

21 Postal Regulatory Commission; 

22 ‘‘(2) an office, agency, or other establishment in 

23 the legislative branch; 

24 ‘‘(3) an office, agency, or other establishment in 

25 the judicial branch; and 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4792 IH

1 ‘‘(4) the government of the District of Colum2 bia.’’. 

3 (b) POSTAL SERVICE AMENDMENT.—Section 1205 of 

4 title 39, United States Code, is repealed. 

5 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

6 at the beginning of chapter 71 of title 5, United States 

7 Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 

8 7115 and inserting the following: 

‘‘7115. Labor organization dues not deductible from pay.’’. 

9 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATES; TRANSITION PROVISIONS. 

10 (a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

11 this Act shall take effect on the date of enactment of this 

12 Act. 

13 (b) TRANSITION PROVISIONS.— 

14 (1) CURRENT DEDUCTIONS FOR DUES OF AN

15 EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE.—Nothing in this Act 

16 shall, in the case of an assignment received before 

17 the date of enactment of this Act under subsection 

18 (a) of section 7115 of title 5, United States Code (as 

19 then in effect), cause the termination of such assign20 ment before— 

21 (A) the date on which such assignment is 

22 revoked, in accordance with the last sentence of 

23 such subsection (a) (as last in effect before 

24 such date of enactment); or 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4792 IH

1 (B) if earlier, the date determined under 

2 paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) of such 

3 section 7115 (as last in effect before such date 

4 of enactment). 

5 (2) CURRENT DEDUCTIONS FOR DUES OF

6 OTHER LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.—Nothing in this 

7 Act shall, in the case of a voluntary allotment made 

8 before the date of enactment of this Act under sub9 section (c) of section 7115 of title 5, United States 

10 Code (as then in effect), cause the termination of 

11 such allotment before the date on which the under12 lying agreement (under authority of which such al13 lotment is being made) ceases to have effect, wheth14 er by reason of section 7115(c)(2)(B) of such title 

15 5 (as last in effect before such date of enactment) 

16 or otherwise. 

17 (3) CURRENT DEDUCTIONS FOR DUES OF A

18 LABOR ORGANIZATION FROM POSTAL SERVICE EM19 PLOYEES.—Nothing in this Act shall, in the case of 

20 a written assignment received before the date of en21 actment of this Act under section 1205 of title 39, 

22 United States Code (as then in effect), cause the 

23 termination of such assignment before the date on 

24 which such assignment— 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 4792 IH

1 (A) is revoked in accordance with such sec2 tion (as last in effect before such date of enact3 ment); or 

4 (B) otherwise expires. 

5 (c) NONRENEWABILITY.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—An agreement between an 

7 agency and a labor organization, entered into before 

8 the date of enactment of this Act under subsection 

9 (a) or (c) of section 7115 of such title 5 (as then 

10 in effect), shall not, to the extent that it relates to 

11 deductions for the payment of dues of such labor or12 ganization, be subject to renewal or extension. 

13 (2) POSTAL SERVICE.—A written assignment 

14 received by the United States Postal Service under 

15 section 1205 of title 39, United States Code (as then 

16 in effect) or an agreement between the United 

17 States Postal Service and any organization of em18 ployees in effect pursuant to 1205(b) of such title 

19 (as then in effect), shall not, to the extent that it 

20 relates to deductions for the payment of dues of 

21 such organization, be subject to renewal or exten22 sion. 

23 (d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 

24 terms ‘‘agency’’, ‘‘exclusive representative’’, and ‘‘labor orVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:10 Jun 06, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4792.IH H4792

jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 4792 IH

1 ganization’’ have the respective meanings given such terms 

2 in section 7103 of title 5, United States Code. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS