I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4195 
To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to provide enhanced 
enforcement authority for occupational safety and health protections ap-
plicable to the legislative branch, to provide whistleblower protections 
and other antidiscrimination protections for employees of the legislative 
branch, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 31, 2017 
Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on 
the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be sub-
sequently 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 
provide enhanced enforcement authority for occupational 
safety and health protections applicable to the legislative 
branch, to provide whistleblower protections and other 
antidiscrimination protections for employees of the legis-
lative branch, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
20:11 Nov 06, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4195.IH
H4195
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Congress Leads by 
Example Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT OF PROTECTIONS OF 
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT 
APPLICABLE TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. 
(a) SUBPOENA AUTHORITY FOR OFFICE OF COMPLI-
ANCE.—Section 215(c)(1) of the Congressional Account-
ability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1341(c)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘subsections (a),’’ and inserting 
‘‘subsections (a), (b),’’; and 
(2) 
by 
striking 
‘‘657(a),’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘657(a), (b),’’. 
(b) RECORDKEEPING REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOY-
ING OFFICES.—Section 215(c) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
1341(c)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through 
(6) as paragraphs (4) through (7); 
(2) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘paragraph (3) or (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘para-
graph (4) or (5)’’; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) RECORDKEEPING
REQUIREMENTS.—Each 
employing office shall be subject to the requirements 
of subsection (c) of section 8 of the Occupational 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:43 Nov 02, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4195.IH
H4195
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 657(c)) 
that are applicable to employers under such section, 
and the General Counsel shall exercise the authori-
ties granted to the Secretary of Labor under such 
subsection.’’. 
(c) PROHIBITING RETALIATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 215 of such Act (2 
U.S.C. 1341) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), 
(f), and (g) as subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h); 
and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (c) the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) PROHIBITING RETALIATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An employing office may 
not discharge or in any manner discriminate against 
any covered employee because such employee has re-
quested the General Counsel to take any action au-
thorized under this section, or has instituted or 
caused to be instituted, or has testified or is about 
to testify in, any proceeding that arises from the ap-
plication of this section to the employing office, or 
because of the exercise by such employee on behalf 
of himself or others of any right provided under this 
section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:43 Nov 02, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4195.IH
H4195
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) ENFORCEMENT.— 
‘‘(A) CHARGE
FILED
WITH
GENERAL 
COUNSEL.—Any covered employee who believes 
that he has been discharged or otherwise dis-
criminated against by an employing office in 
violation of paragraph (1) may file a charge 
against the employing office with the General 
Counsel not later than 180 days after the oc-
currence of the alleged violation. The General 
Counsel shall investigate the charge. 
‘‘(B) MEDIATION.—If, upon investigation 
under subparagraph (A), the General Counsel 
believes that a violation of paragraph (1) may 
have occurred and that mediation may be help-
ful in resolving the dispute, the General Coun-
sel may request mediation under subsections (b) 
through (e) of section 403 between the covered 
employee and the employing office. 
‘‘(C) COMPLAINT; HEARING; BOARD
RE-
VIEW.—If mediation under subparagraph (B) 
has not succeeded in resolving the dispute (or 
if the General Counsel does not request medi-
ation under such subparagraph) and the Gen-
eral Counsel believes that a violation of para-
graph (1) may have occurred, the General 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:43 Nov 02, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4195.IH
H4195
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS