IB 
Union Calendar No. 132 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2711 
[Report No. 113–184, Part I] 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to establish certain procedures for 
conducting in-person or telephonic interactions by Executive branch em-
ployees with individuals, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2013 
Ms. JENKINS (for herself and Mr. BRADY of Texas) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
JULY 30, 2013 
Additional sponsors: Mr. WOMACK, Mr. ROSKAM, Mr. LONG, and Mr. REED 
JULY 30, 2013 
Reported from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform with an 
amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
JULY 30, 2013 
The Committee on the Judiciary discharged; committed to the Committee of 
the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 17, 2013] 
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A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to establish certain 
procedures for conducting in-person or telephonic inter-
actions by Executive branch employees with individuals, 
and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Citizen Empowerment 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part III of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 79, the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘CHAPTER 79A—SERVICES TO MEMBERS 
OF THE PUBLIC 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘7921. Procedure for in-person and telephonic interactions conducted by Execu-
tive Branch employees. 
‘‘§ 7921. Procedure for in-person and telephonic inter-
actions conducted by Executive Branch 
employees 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to en-
sure that individuals have the right to record in-person and 
telephonic interactions with Executive agency employees 
and to ensure that individuals who are the target of enforce-
ment actions conducted by Executive agency employees are 
notified of such right. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘telephonic’ means by telephone or 
other similar electronic device; and 
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‘‘(2) the term ‘employee’ means an employee of 
an Executive agency. 
‘‘(c) CONSENT OF EXECUTIVE AGENCY EMPLOYEES.— 
Participation by an employee, acting in an official capac-
ity, in an in-person or telephonic interaction shall con-
stitute consent by the employee to a recording of that inter-
action by any participant in the interaction. 
‘‘(d) NOTICE OF RIGHTS WHEN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
ENGAGED IN CERTAIN ACTIONS.—A notice of an individ-
ual’s right to record conversations with employees shall be 
included in any written material provided by an Executive 
agency to the individual concerning an audit, investigation, 
inspection, or enforcement action that could result in the 
imposition of a fine, forfeiture of property, civil monetary 
penalty, or criminal penalty against, or the collection of 
an unpaid tax, fine, or penalty from, such individual or 
a business owned or operated by such individual. 
‘‘(e) OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE.—Any person who is 
permitted to represent before an Executive agency an indi-
vidual under this section shall receive the same notice as 
required under subsection (d) with respect to such indi-
vidual. 
‘‘(f) NO CAUSE OF ACTION.—This section does not cre-
ate any express or implied private right of action. 
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‘‘(g) DISCIPLINARY ACTION.—An employee who vio-
lates this section shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary 
action in accordance with otherwise applicable provisions 
of law. 
‘‘(h) PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING RIGHT TO 
RECORD.— 
‘‘(1) POSTING ON AGENCY WEB SITES.—Within 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
each Executive agency shall post prominently on its 
Web site information explaining the right of individ-
uals to record interactions with employees. 
‘‘(2) OMB GUIDANCE.—Within 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Office of Man-
agement and Budget shall issue guidance to Executive 
agencies concerning implementation of paragraph 
(1).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for part III 
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to chapter 79 the following: 
‘‘79A. Services to members of the public ....................................... 7921’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 132 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2711 
[Report No. 113–184, Part I] 
A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to establish 
certain procedures for conducting in-person or 
telephonic interactions by Executive branch em-
ployees with individuals, and for other purposes. 
JULY 30, 2013 
Reported from the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform with an amendment 
JULY 30, 2013 
The Committee on the Judiciary discharged; committed 
to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
the Union and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
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