(1) IN
GENERAL.—A congressional employee,
including a class or organization acting on behalf of
a congressional employee, may bring an administra-
tive action in accordance with paragraph (2) before
an administrative agency to enforce the application
of a law set out in subsection (a)(2) by the Congress
or the congressional employer of such employee to
such employee if a similarly situated complaining
party may bring such an action before such agency.
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—An administrative action
described in paragraph (1) shall be commenced in
accordance with the statutory and procedural re-
quirements of the law which is sought to be en-
forced.
(3) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.—An administra-
tive agency before which is brought an action de-
scribed in paragraph (1) may take such action
against the Congress or congressional employer sited
in the action as the agency could take in an action
brought by a similarly situated complaining party.
(c) ENFORCEMENT BY CIVIL ACTION.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A congressional employee,
including a class or organization acting on behalf of
a congressional employee, may bring a civil action to
enforce a provision of law set out in subsection
(a)(2) in a court authorized by paragraph (3)
against the Congress or the congressional employer
of such employee if a similarly situated complaining
party could bring such a civil action.
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—A civil action described
in paragraph (1) shall be commenced in accordance
with the statutory and procedural requirements of
the law which is sought to be enforced.
(3) VENUE.—An action may be brought under
paragraph (1) to enforce a provision of law set out
in subsection (a)(2) in any court of competent juris-
diction in which a similarly situated complaining
party may otherwise bring a civil action to enforce
such provision.
(4) RELIEF.—In any civil action brought under
paragraph (1) to enforce a provision of law set out
in subsection (a)(2), the court—
(A) may grant as relief against the Con-
gress or congressional employer any equitable
relief otherwise available to a similarly situated
complaining party bringing a civil action to en-
force such provision,
(B) may grant as relief against the Con-
gress any damages that would otherwise be
available to such a complaining party, and
(C) allow such fees and costs as would be
allowed in such an action by such a party.
SEC. 3. MATTERS OTHER THAN EMPLOYMENT.
(a) RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS.—In accordance with
paragraph (6) of section 509(a) of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12209), the rights and
protections provided under such Act shall apply with re-
spect to the conduct of the Congress regarding matters
other than employment.
(b) ENFORCEMENT.—To enforce paragraph (1), any
person may—
(1) bring an administrative action described in
section 2(b), or
(2) a civil action described in section 2(c).
SEC. 4. INFORMATION.
(a) APPLICATION.—The rights and protections pro-
vided under section 552a of title 5, United States Code,
shall apply with respect to information in the possession
of the Congress.
(b) ENFORCEMENT.—To enforce subsection (a), any
person may—
(1) bring an administrative action described in
section 2(b), or
(2) a civil action described in section 2(c),
against Congress or a congressional employer in posses-
sion of information.
SEC. 5. INDEPENDENT COUNSEL.
(a) APPLICATION.—The rights and protections pro-
vided pursuant to chapter 40 of title 28, United States
Code, shall apply with respect to investigations of congres-
sional improprieties.
(b) ENFORCEMENT.—To enforce subsection (a), any
person may—
(1) bring an administrative action described in
section 2(b), or
(2) a civil action described in section 2(c),
against any party with a duty under such chapter 40.
SEC. 6. AMENDMENT TO THE RULES OF THE SENATE.
Rule XIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is
amended by adding at the appropriate place the following:
‘‘No bill, resolution, or amendment which creates a re-
quirement of general applicability but which exempts the
Congress of the United States from its provisions may be
considered except by a vote of three-fifths of Senators duly
chosen and sworn.’’.
SEC. 7. AMENDMENT TO THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
Rule XXIV of the House of Representatives is
amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(9) No bill, resolution, or amendment which creates
a requirement of general applicability but which exempts
the Congress of the United States from its provisions may
be considered except by a vote of three-fifths of the Mem-
bers duly chosen and sworn.’’.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) 
The 
term 
‘‘congressional 
employer’’
means—
(A) a supervisor as described in paragraph
12 of rule XXXVII of the Rules of the Senate;
(B)(i) a Member of the House of Rep-
resentatives with respect to the administrative,
clerical, and other assistants of a Member;
(ii) a Member who is the chairman of a
committee with respect to the professional, cler-
ical, and other assistants to the committee;
(iii) the ranking minority Member of a
committee with respect to the minority staff
members of the committee;
(iv) a Member who is the chairman of a
subcommittee which has its own staff and fi-
nancial authorization with respect to the profes-
sional, clerical, and other assistants to the sub-
committee;
(v) the ranking minority Member of a sub-
committee with respect to the minority staff
members of the subcommittee;
(vi) the Majority and Minority Leaders of
the House of Representatives and the Majority
and Minority Whips with respect to the re-
search, clerical, and other assistants to their re-
spective offices; and
(vii) the other officers of the House of
Representatives with respect to the employees
of such officers;
(C) the Architect of the Capitol with re-
spect to the employees of the Architect of the
Capitol;
(D) the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office with respect to the employees of
such office;
(E) the Comptroller General with respect
to the employees of the General Accounting Of-
fice;
(F) the Public Printer with respect to the
employees of the Government Printing Office;
(G) the Librarian of Congress with respect
to employees of the Library of Congress;
(H) the Director of the Office of Tech-
nology Assessment with respect to employees of
such office; and
(I) the Director of the United States Bo-
tanic Gardens with respect to the employees of
such gardens.
(2) The term ‘‘congressional employee’’ means
an employee who is employed by, or an applicant for
employment with, a congressional employer.
(3) The term ‘‘similarly situated complaining
party’’ means—
(A) in the case of a party seeking to en-
force a provision with a separate enforcement
mechanism for governmental complaining par-
ties, a governmental complaining party, or
(B) in the case of a party seeking to en-
force a provision with no such separate mecha-
nism, a complaining party.
SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect one hundred twenty days
after the date of its enactment.
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