105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 240
AN ACT
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that consid-
eration may not be denied to preference eligibles applying
for certain positions in the competitive service, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Employment
Opportunities Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. EQUAL ACCESS FOR VETERANS.
(a) COMPETITIVE SERVICE.—Section 3304 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘(f)(1) No preference eligible, and no individual
(other than a preference eligible) who has been separated
from the armed forces under honorable conditions after
3 or more years of active service, shall be denied the op-
portunity to compete for an announced vacant position
within an agency, in the competitive service or the ex-
cepted service, by reason of—
‘‘(A) not having acquired competitive status; or
‘‘(B) not being an employee of such agency.
‘‘(2) Nothing in this subsection shall prevent an agen-
cy from filling a vacant position (whether by appointment
or otherwise) solely from individuals on a priority place-
ment list consisting of individuals who have been sepa-
rated from the agency due to a reduction in force and sur-
plus employees (as defined under regulations prescribed
by the Office).’’.
(b) CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION.—
(1) VACANT
POSITIONS.—Section 3327(b) of
title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking
‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (1), by redesignating
paragraph (2) as paragraph (3), and by inserting
after paragraph (1) the following:
‘‘(2) each vacant position in the agency for
which competition is restricted to individuals having
competitive status or employees of such agency, ex-
cluding any position under paragraph (1), and’’.
(2) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.—Section 3327
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
‘‘(c) Any notification provided under this section
shall, for all positions under subsection (b)(1) as to which
section 3304(f) applies and for all positions under sub-
section (b)(2), include a notation as to the applicability
of section 3304(f) with respect thereto.
‘‘(d) In consultation with the Secretary of Labor, the
Office shall submit to Congress and the President, no less
frequently than every 2 years, a report detailing, with re-
spect to the period covered by such report—
‘‘(1) the number of positions listed under this
section during such period;
‘‘(2) the number of preference eligibles and
other individuals described in section 3304(f)(1) re-
ferred to such positions during such period; and
‘‘(3) the number of preference eligibles and
other individuals described in section 3304(f)(1) ap-
pointed to such positions during such period.’’.
(c) GOVERNMENTWIDE LISTS.—
(1) VACANT
POSITIONS.—Section 3330(b) of
title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘(b) The Office of Personnel Management shall cause
to be established and kept current—
‘‘(1) a comprehensive list of all announcements
of vacant positions (in the competitive service and
the excepted service, respectively) within each agency
that are to be filled by appointment for more than
1 year and for which applications are being or will
soon be accepted from outside the agency’s work
force; and
‘‘(2) a comprehensive list of all announcements
of vacant positions within each agency for which ap-
plications are being or will soon be accepted and for
which competition is restricted to individuals having
competitive status or employees of such agency, ex-
cluding any position required to be listed under
paragraph (1).’’.
(2) 
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.—Section
3330(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (2), by
redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4), and
by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
‘‘(3) for all positions under subsection (b)(1) as
to which section 3304(f) applies and for all positions
under subsection (b)(2), a notation as to the applica-
bility of section 3304(f) with respect thereto; and’’.
(3) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section
3330(d) of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by striking ‘‘The list’’ and inserting ‘‘Each list
under subsection (b)’’.
(d) PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE UNITED STATES
POSTAL SERVICE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section
1005 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
‘‘(5)(A) The provisions of section 3304(f) of title 5
shall apply with respect to the Postal Service in the same
manner and under the same conditions as if the Postal
Service were an agency within the meaning of such provi-
sions.
‘‘(B) Nothing in this subsection shall be considered
to require the application of section 3304(f) of title 5 in
the case of any individual who is not an employee of the
Postal Service if—
‘‘(i) the vacant position involved is to be filled
pursuant to a collective-bargaining agreement;
‘‘(ii) the collective-bargaining agreement re-
stricts competition for such position to individuals
employed in a bargaining unit or installation within
the Postal Service in which the position is located;
‘‘(iii) the collective-bargaining agreement pro-
vides that the successful applicant shall be selected
on the basis of seniority or qualifications; and
‘‘(iv) the position to be filled is within a bar-
gaining unit.
‘‘(C) The provisions of this paragraph shall not be
modified by any program developed under section 1004
of this title or any collective-bargaining agreement entered
into under chapter 12 of this title.’’.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The first sen-
tence of section 1005(a)(2) of title 39, United States
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘title.’’ and inserting
‘‘title, subject to paragraph (5) of this subsection.’’.
SEC. 3. SPECIAL PROTECTIONS FOR PREFERENCE ELIGI-
BLES IN REDUCTIONS IN FORCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3502 of title 5, United
States Code, as amended by section 1034 of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 (Public
Law 104–106; 110 Stat. 430), is amended by adding at
the end the following:
‘‘(g)(1) A position occupied by a preference eligible
shall not be placed in a single-position competitive level
if the preference eligible is qualified to perform the essen-
tial functions of any other position at the same grade (or
occupational level) in the competitive area. In such cases,
the preference eligible shall be entitled to be placed in an-
other competitive level for which such preference eligible
is qualified. If the preference eligible is qualified for more
than one competitive level, such preference eligible shall
be placed in the competitive level containing the most posi-
tions.
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1)—
‘‘(A) a preference eligible shall be considered
qualified to perform the essential functions of a posi-
tion if, by reason of experience, training, or edu-
cation (and, in the case of a disabled veteran, with
reasonable accommodation), a reasonable person
could conclude that the preference eligible would be
able to perform those functions successfully within a
period of 150 days; and
‘‘(B) a preference eligible shall not be consid-
ered unqualified solely because such preference eligi-
ble does not meet the minimum qualification require-
ments relating to previous experience in a specified
grade (or occupational level), if any, that are estab-
lished for such position by the Office of Personnel
Management or the agency.
‘‘(h) In connection with any reduction in force, a
preference eligible whose current or most recent perform-
ance rating is at least fully successful (or the equivalent)
shall have, in addition to such assignment rights as are
prescribed by regulation, the right, in lieu of separation,
to be assigned to any position within the agency conduct-
ing the reduction in force—
‘‘(1) for which such preference eligible is quali-
fied under subsection (g)(2)—
‘‘(A) that is within the preference eligible’s
commuting area and at the same grade (or oc-
cupational level) as the position from which the
preference eligible was released, and that is
then occupied by an individual, other than an-
other preference eligible, who was placed in
such position (whether by appointment or oth-
erwise) within 6 months before the reduction in
force if, within 12 months prior to the date on
which such individual was so placed in such po-
sition, such individual had been employed in the
same competitive area as the preference eligible;
or
‘‘(B) that is within the preference eligible’s
competitive area and that is then occupied by
an individual, other than another preference eli-
gible, who was placed in such position (whether
by appointment or otherwise) within 6 months
before the reduction in force; or
‘‘(2) for which such preference eligible is quali-
fied that is within the preference eligible’s competi-
tive area and that is not more than 3 grades (or pay
levels) below that of the position from which the
preference eligible was released, except that, in the
case of a preference eligible with a compensable
service-connected disability of 30 percent or more,
this paragraph shall be applied by substituting ‘5
grades’ for ‘3 grades’.
In the event that a preference eligible is entitled to assign-
ment to more than 1 position under this subsection, the
agency shall assign the preference eligible to any such po-
sition requiring no reduction (or, if there is no such posi-
tion, the least reduction) in basic pay. A position shall not,
with respect to a preference eligible, be considered to sat-
isfy the requirements of paragraph (1) or (2), as applica-
ble, if it does not last for at least 12 months following
the date on which such preference eligible is assigned to
such position under this subsection.
‘‘(i) A preference eligible may challenge the classifica-
tion of any position to which the preference eligible asserts
assignment rights (as provided by, or prescribed by regula-
tions described in, subsection (h)) in an action before the
Merit Systems Protection Board.
‘‘(j)(1) Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act
of 1997, each Executive agency shall establish an agency-
wide priority placement program to facilitate employment
placement for employees who—
‘‘(A)(i) are scheduled to be separated from serv-
ice due to a reduction in force under—
‘‘(I) regulations prescribed under this sec-
tion; or
‘‘(II) procedures established under section
3595; or
‘‘(ii) are separated from service due to such a
reduction in force; and
‘‘(B)(i) have received a rating of at least fully
successful (or the equivalent) as the last perform-
ance rating of record used for retention purposes; or
‘‘(ii) occupy positions excluded from a perform-
ance appraisal system by law, regulation, or admin-
istrative action taken by the Office of Personnel
Management.
‘‘(2)(A) Each agencywide priority placement program
under this subsection shall include provisions under which
a vacant position shall not (except as provided in this
paragraph or any other statute providing the right of re-
employment to any individual) be filled by the appoint-
ment or transfer of any individual from outside of that
agency (other than an individual described in subpara-
graph (B)) if—
‘‘(i) there is then available any individual de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) who is qualified for the
position; and
‘‘(ii) the position—
‘‘(I) is at the same grade or pay level (or
the equivalent) or not more than 3 grades (or
grade intervals) below that of the position last
held by such individual before placement in the
new position;
‘‘(II) is within the same commuting area
as the individual’s last-held position (as referred
to in subclause (I)) or residence; and
‘‘(III) has the same type of work schedule
(whether full-time, part-time, or intermittent)
as the position last held by the individual.
‘‘(B) For purposes of an agencywide priority place-
ment program, an individual shall be considered to be de-
scribed in this subparagraph if such individual—
‘‘(i)(I) is an employee of such agency who is
scheduled to be separated, as described in paragraph
(1)(A)(i); or
‘‘(II) is an individual who became a former em-
ployee of such agency as a result of a separation, as
described in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), excluding any in-
dividual who separated voluntarily under subsection
(f); and
‘‘(ii) satisfies clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph
(1)(B).
‘‘(3)(A) If after a reduction in force the agency has
no positions of any type within the local commuting areas
specified in this subsection, the individual may designate
a different local commuting area where the agency has
continuing positions in order to exercise reemployment
rights under this subsection. An agency may determine
that such designations are not in the interest of the Gov-
ernment for the purpose of paying relocation expenses
under subchapter II of chapter 57.
‘‘(B) At its option, an agency may administratively
extend reemployment rights under this subsection to in-
clude other local commuting areas.
‘‘(4)(A) In selecting employees for positions under
this subsection, the agency shall place qualified present
and former employees in retention order by veterans’ pref-
erence subgroup and tenure group.
‘‘(B) An agency may not pass over a qualified present
or former employee to select an individual in a lower veter-
ans’ preference subgroup within the tenure group, or in
a lower tenure group.
‘‘(C) Within a subgroup, the agency may select a
qualified present or former employee without regard to the
individual’s total creditable service.
‘‘(5) An individual is eligible for reemployment prior-
ity under this subsection for 2 years from the effective
date of the reduction in force from which the individual
will be, or has been, separated under this section or section
3595, as the case may be.
‘‘(6) An individual loses eligibility for reemployment
priority under this subsection when the individual—
‘‘(A) requests removal in writing;
‘‘(B) accepts or declines a bona fide offer under
this subsection or fails to accept such an offer within
the period of time allowed for such acceptance, or
‘‘(C) separates from the agency before being
separated under this section or section 3595, as the
case may be.
A present or former employee who declines a position with
a representative rate (or equivalent) that is less than the
rate of the position from which the individual was sepa-
rated under this section retains eligibility for positions
with a higher representative rate up to the rate of the indi-
vidual’s last position.
‘‘(7) Whenever more than one individual is qualified
for a position under this subsection, the agency shall select
the most highly qualified individual, subject to paragraph
(4).
‘‘(8) The Office of Personnel Management shall issue
regulations to implement this subsection.’’.
(b) APPLICABILITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2),
the amendments made by this section shall apply
with respect to—
(A) reductions in force taking effect after
the end of the 90-day period beginning on the
date of the enactment of this Act; or
(B) in the case of the Department of De-
fense, reductions in force taking effect after the
end of the 1-year period beginning on the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(2) ONGOING REDUCTIONS IN FORCE.—If an
agency has given written notice of a reduction in
force to any of its employees within a competitive
area, in accordance with section 3502(d)(1)(A) of
title 5, United States Code, before the effective date
under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), as
applicable, then, for purposes of determining the
rights of any employee within such area in connec-
tion with such reduction in force, the amendments
made by this section shall be treated as if they had
never been enacted. Nothing in the preceding sen-
tence shall affect any rights under a priority place-
ment program under section 3502(j) of title 5, Unit-
ed States Code, as amended by this section.
SEC. 4. IMPROVED REDRESS FOR VETERANS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 33 of title
5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following:
‘‘§ 3330a. Administrative redress
‘‘(a)(1) Any preference eligible or other individual de-
scribed in section 3304(f)(1) who alleges that an agency
has violated such individual’s rights under any statute or
regulation relating to veterans’ preference, or any right
afforded such individual by section 3304(f), may file a
complaint with the Secretary of Labor.
‘‘(2) A complaint under this subsection must be filed
within 60 days after the date of the alleged violation, and
the Secretary shall process such complaint in accordance
with sections 4322 (a) through (e)(1) and 4326 of title
38.
‘‘(b)(1) If the Secretary of Labor is unable to resolve
the complaint within 60 days after the date on which it
is filed, the complainant may elect to appeal the alleged
violation to the Merit Systems Protection Board in accord-
ance with such procedures as the Merit Systems Protec-
tion Board shall prescribe, except that in no event may
any such appeal be brought—
‘‘(A) before the 61st day after the date on
which the complaint is filed under subsection (a); or
‘‘(B) later than 15 days after the date on which
the complainant receives notification from the Sec-
retary of Labor under section 4322(e)(1) of title 38.
‘‘(2) An appeal under this subsection may not be
brought unless—
‘‘(A) the complainant first provides written no-
tification to the Secretary of Labor of such com-
plainant’s intention to bring such appeal; and
‘‘(B) appropriate evidence of compliance with
subparagraph (A) is included (in such form and
manner as the Merit Systems Protection Board may
prescribe) with the notice of appeal under this sub-
section.
‘‘(3) Upon receiving notification under paragraph
(2)(A), the Secretary of Labor shall not continue to inves-
tigate or further attempt to resolve the complaint to which
such notification relates.
‘‘(c) This section shall not be construed to prohibit
a preference eligible from appealing directly to the Merit
Systems Protection Board from any action which is ap-
pealable to the Board under any other law, rule, or regula-
tion, in lieu of administrative redress under this section.
‘‘§ 3330b. Judicial redress
‘‘(a) In lieu of continuing the administrative redress
procedure provided under section 3330a(b), a preference
eligible or other individual described in section 3304(f)(1)
may elect, in accordance with this section, to terminate
those administrative proceedings and file an action with
the appropriate United States district court not later than
60 days after the date of the election.
‘‘(b) An election under this section may not be
made—
‘‘(1) before the 121st day after the date on
which the appeal is filed with the Merit Systems
Protection Board under section 3330a(b); or
‘‘(2) after the Merit Systems Protection Board
has issued a judicially reviewable decision on the
merits of the appeal.
‘‘(c) An election under this section shall be made, in
writing, in such form and manner as the Merit Systems
Protection Board shall by regulation prescribe. The elec-
tion shall be effective as of the date on which it is received,
and the administrative proceeding to which it relates shall
terminate immediately upon the receipt of such election.
‘‘§ 3330c. Remedy
‘‘(a) If the Merit Systems Protection Board (in a pro-
ceeding under section 3330a) or a court (in a proceeding
under section 3330b) determines that an agency has vio-
lated a right described in section 3330a, the Board or
court (as the case may be) shall order the agency to com-
ply with such provisions and award compensation for any
loss of wages or benefits suffered by the individual by rea-
son of the violation involved. If the Board or court deter-
mines that such violation was willful, it shall award an
amount equal to backpay as liquidated damages.
‘‘(b) A preference eligible or other individual de-
scribed in section 3304(f)(1) who prevails in an action
under section 3330a or 3330b shall be awarded reasonable
attorney fees, expert witness fees, and other litigation ex-
penses.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of chapter 33 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding after the item relating to sec-
tion 3330 the following:
‘‘3330a. Administrative redress.
‘‘3330b. Judicial redress.
‘‘3330c. Remedy.’’.
SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.
(a) AMENDMENT
TO TITLE 5, UNITED STATES
CODE.—Paragraph (3) of section 2108 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘the Federal Bureau
of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration
Senior Executive Service, or the General Accounting Of-
fice;’’ and inserting ‘‘or the Federal Bureau of Investiga-
tion and Drug Enforcement Administration Senior Execu-
tive Service;’’.
(b) AMENDMENTS
TO TITLE 3, UNITED STATES
CODE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 2 of title 3, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘§ 115. Veterans’ preference
‘‘(a) Subject to subsection (b), appointments under
sections 105, 106, and 107 shall be made in accordance
with section 2108, and sections 3309 through 3312, of
title 5.
‘‘(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to any appoint-
ment to a position the rate of basic pay for which is at
least equal to the minimum rate established for positions
in the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title
5 and the duties of which are comparable to those de-
scribed in section 3132(a)(2) of such title or to any other
position if, with respect to such position, the President
makes certification—
‘‘(1) that such position is—
‘‘(A) a confidential or policy-making posi-
tion; or
‘‘(B) a position for which political affili-
ation or political philosophy is otherwise an im-
portant qualification; and
‘‘(2) that any individual selected for such posi-
tion is expected to vacate the position at or before
the end of the President’s term (or terms) of office.
Each individual appointed to a position described in the
preceding sentence as to which the expectation described
in paragraph (2) applies shall be notified as to such expec-
tation, in writing, at the time of appointment to such posi-
tion.’’.
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 2 of title 3, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘115. Veterans’ preference.’’.
(c) LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPOINTMENTS.—
(1) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this
subsection, the terms ‘‘employing office’’, ‘‘covered
employee’’, and ‘‘Board’’ shall each have the mean-
ing given such term by section 101 of the Congres-
sional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301).
(2) RIGHTS
AND
PROTECTIONS.—The rights
and protections established under section 2108, sec-
tions 3309 through 3312, and subchapter I of chap-
ter 35, of title 5, United States Code, shall apply to
covered employees.
(3) REMEDIES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The remedy for a viola-
tion of paragraph (2) shall be such remedy as
would be appropriate if awarded under applica-
ble provisions of title 5, United States Code, in
the case of a violation of the relevant cor-
responding provision (referred to in paragraph
(2)) of such title.
(B) PROCEDURE.—The procedure for con-
sideration of alleged violations of paragraph (2)
shall be the same as apply under section 401 of
the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995
(and the provisions of law referred to therein)
in the case of an alleged violation of part A of
title II of such Act.
(4) 
REGULATIONS
TO
IMPLEMENT
SUB-
SECTION.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall, pur-
suant to section 304 of the Congressional Ac-
countability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1384), issue
regulations to implement this subsection.
(B) AGENCY REGULATIONS.—The regula-
tions issued under subparagraph (A) shall be
the same as the most relevant substantive regu-
lations (applicable with respect to the executive
branch) promulgated to implement the statu-
tory provisions referred to in paragraph (2) ex-
cept insofar as the Board may determine, for
good cause shown and stated together with the
regulation, that a modification of such regula-
tions would be more effective for the implemen-
tation of the rights and protections under this
subsection.
(C) COORDINATION.—The regulations is-
sued under subparagraph (A) shall be consist-
ent with section 225 of the Congressional Ac-
countability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1361).
(5) 
APPLICABILITY.—Notwithstanding 
any
other provision of this subsection, the term ‘‘covered
employee’’ shall not, for purposes of this subsection,
include an employee—
(A) whose appointment is made by the
President with the advice and consent of the
Senate;
(B) whose appointment is made by a Mem-
ber of Congress or by a committee or sub-
committee of either House of Congress; or
(C) who is appointed to a position, the du-
ties of which are equivalent to those of a Senior
Executive Service position (within the meaning
of section 3132(a)(2) of title 5, United States
Code).
(6) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Paragraphs (2) and (3)
shall be effective as of the effective date of the regu-
lations under paragraph (4).
(d) JUDICIAL BRANCH APPOINTMENTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (2)
through (4), the Judicial Conference of the United
States shall prescribe regulations to provide for—
(A) veterans’ preference in the consider-
ation of applicants for employment, and in the
conduct of any reductions in force, within the
judicial branch; and
(B) redress procedures for alleged viola-
tions of any rights provided for under subpara-
graph (A).
(2) REGULATIONS TO BE BASED ON EXISTING
PROVISIONS.—Under the regulations—
(A) a preference eligible (as defined by sec-
tion 2108 of title 5, United States Code) shall
be afforded preferences similar to those under
sections 3309 through 3312, and subchapter I
of chapter 35, of such title 5; and
(B) the redress procedures provided for
shall be similar to those under the amendments
made by section 4.
(3) EXCLUSIONS.—Nothing in the regulations
shall apply with respect to—
(A) an appointment made by the Presi-
dent, with the advice and consent of the Senate;
(B) an appointment as a judicial officer;
(C) an appointment as a law clerk or sec-
retary to a justice or judge of the United
States; or
(D) an appointment to a position, the du-
ties of which are equivalent to those of a Senior
Executive Service position (within the meaning
of section 3132(a)(2) of title 5, United States
Code).
(4) CONSULTATION.—The regulations under
this subsection shall be prescribed by the Judicial
Conference of the United States, in consultation
with—
(A) the largest congressionally chartered
veterans’ service organization;
(B) 2 congressionally chartered veterans’
service organizations that represent former non-
commissioned officers;
(C) a congressionally chartered veterans’
service organization that represents veterans
who have fought in foreign wars;
(D) a congressionally chartered veterans’
service organization that represents veterans
with service-connected disabilities;
(E) a congressionally chartered veterans’
service organization that represents veterans of
the Vietnam era; and
(F) a congressionally chartered veterans’
service organization that represents veterans of
World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam
era, and the Persian Gulf War.
(5) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sub-
section—
(A) the term ‘‘judicial officer’’ means a
justice, judge, or magistrate judge listed in sub-
paragraph (A), (B), (F), or (G) of section
376(a)(1) of title 28, United States Code; and
(B) the term ‘‘justice or judge of the Unit-
ed States’’ has the meaning given such term by
section 451 of such title 28.
(6) SUBMISSION
TO
CONGRESS; EFFECTIVE
DATE.—
(A) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Within 5
months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Judicial Conference of the United
States shall submit a copy of the regulations
prescribed under this subsection to the Commit-
tee on Government Reform and Oversight and
the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Govern-
mental Affairs and the Committee on the Judi-
ciary of the Senate.
(B) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The regulations
prescribed under this subsection shall take ef-
fect 6 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act.