SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES IN ACT. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Congressional Accountability Enhancement Act of 
2004’’. 
(b) REFERENCES IN ACT.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided, whenever in this Act an amendment is expressed 
in terms of an amendment to or repeal of a section or 
other provision, the reference shall be considered to be 
made to that section or other provision of the Congres-
sional Accountability Act of 1995. 
TITLE I—PROTECTIONS FOR IN-
DIVIDUALS 
WITH 
DISABIL-
ITIES 
SEC. 101. PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION IN ACCESS TO 
AND USE OF CONGRESSIONAL ELECTRONIC 
AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BY INDI-
VIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) COVERED EMPLOYEES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 201(a)(3) (2 U.S.C. 
1311(a)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 501 of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘sections 501 and 508(a)(1)(A)(i) of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791 and 
794d(a)(1)(A)(i))’’.
(2) APPLICATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF 
REHABILITATION
ACT
OF 1973; REGULATIONS.—
Section 201 (2 U.S.C. 1311) is amended—
(A) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (f); and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (c) the 
following new subsections: 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF RE-
HABILITATION ACT OF 1973 TO PROTECTIONS RELATING 
TO ACCESS TO AND USE OF ELECTRONIC AND INFORMA-
TION TECHNOLOGY.—In applying section 508(a)(1)(A)(i) 
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to covered employees 
(as provided under subsection (a)(3)), the following provi-
sions of such Act shall apply in the same manner as such 
provisions apply with respect to Federal employees under 
such section: 
‘‘(1) Section 508(a)(1)(B). 
‘‘(2) Section 508(a)(5). 
‘‘(3) Section 508(a)(6)(B). 
‘‘(4) Section 508(g). 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT SECTION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall, pursuant 
to section 304, issue regulations to implement this 
section.
‘‘(2) USE OF ACCESS BOARD REGULATIONS FOR 
CERTAIN
PROVISIONS.—The 
regulations 
issued 
under paragraph (1) shall be the same as the sub-
stantive regulations promulgated by the Architec-
tural and Transportation Barriers Compliance 
Board to implement the statutory provisions referred 
to in subsection (d) except insofar as the Board may 
determine, for good cause shown and stated together 
with the regulation, that a modification of such reg-
ulations would be more effective for the implementa-
tion of the rights and protections under this sec-
tion.’’. 
(b) MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 210(b) (2 U.S.C. 
1331(b)) is amended—
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘and 
section 508(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d(a)(1)(A)(ii))’’ 
after ‘‘and 12189)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end 
the following: ‘‘For purposes of the application 
of section 508(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d(a)(1)(A)(ii)) 
under this section, the term ‘Federal depart-
ment or agency’ means any entity listed in sub-
section (a) that provides public services, pro-
grams, or activities.’’. 
(2) APPLICATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF 
REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973.—Section 210(b) (2 
U.S.C. 1331(b)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF 
REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973 TO PROTECTIONS RE-
LATING TO ACCESS TO AND USE OF ELECTRONIC 
AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.—In applying sec-
tion 508(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Rehabilitation Act of 
1973 to the provision of public services and accom-
modations (as provided under paragraph (1)), the 
following provisions of such Act shall apply in the 
same manner as such provisions apply with respect 
to members of the public under such section: 
‘‘(A) Section 508(a)(1)(B). 
‘‘(B) Section 508(a)(5). 
‘‘(C) Section 508(a)(6)(A). 
‘‘(D) Section 508(g).’’. 
(3) 
REMEDY.—Section 
210(c) 
(2 
U.S.C. 
1331(c)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) REMEDIES.—
‘‘(1) RELATING TO THE AMERICANS WITH DIS-
ABILITIES ACT OF 1990.—The remedy for a violation
of subsection (b) with respect to the rights and pro-
tections against discrimination under the applicable 
sections of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990 shall be such remedy as would be appropriate 
if awarded under section 203 or 308(a) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 12133, 12188(a)), except that, with re-
spect to any claim of employment discrimination as-
serted by any covered employee, the exclusive rem-
edy shall be under section 201 of this title. 
‘‘(2) RELATING TO THE REHABILITATION ACT 
OF 1973.—The remedy for a violation of subsection 
(b) with respect to the rights and protections against 
discrimination under section 508(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the 
Rehabilitation 
Act 
of 
1973 
(29 
U.S.C. 
794d(a)(1)(A)(ii)) shall be such remedy as would be 
appropriate if awarded under section 505(a)(2) of 
such Act (29 U.S.C. 794a(a)(2)).’’. 
(4) 
AVAILABLE
PROCEDURES.—Section 
210(d)(1) (2 U.S.C. 1331(d)(1)) is amended by in-
serting ‘‘(or, in the case of an individual alleging a 
violation relating to section 508(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, an individual described 
in such section)’’ after ‘‘(42 U.S.C. 12131(2)),’’. 
(5) REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT SECTION.—
Section 210(e)(2) (2 U.S.C. 1331(e)(2)) is amended
by 
inserting 
‘‘(or, 
in 
the 
case 
of 
section 
508(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
the same as the standards adopted by the Architec-
tural and Transportation Barriers Compliance 
Board for purposes of such section)’’ after ‘‘Sec-
retary of Transportation’’. 
(6) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—The Con-
gressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 
1301 et seq.) is amended—
(A) in the heading for part B of title II, 
by adding at the end the following; ‘‘AND THE 
REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973’’; and 
(B) in the heading for section 210, by in-
serting ‘‘AND THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 
1973’’ after ‘‘AMERICANS
WITH
DISABIL-
ITIES ACT OF 1990’’. 
(7) CLERICAL
AMENDMENTS.—The table of 
contents for title is amended—
(A) in the item relating to part B, by add-
ing at the end the following: ‘‘AND THE REHA-
BILITATION ACT OF 1973’’; and 
(B) in the item relating to section 210, by 
inserting ‘‘and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973’’ 
after ‘‘1990’’.
SEC. 102. AMENDMENT TO THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 
1973. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 508 of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(h) APPLICABILITY TO GENERAL ACCOUNTING OF-
FICE, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, AND
THE LI-
BRARY OF CONGRESS.—For purposes of subsections (a), 
(b), (f), and (g) of this section, the term ‘Federal depart-
ment or agency’ shall be deemed to include the General 
Accounting Office, the Government Printing Office, and 
the Library of Congress.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
TITLE II—ADDITIONAL 
PROTECTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES 
SEC. 201. APPLICATION TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH EMPLOY-
EES 
OF 
WHISTLEBLOWER 
PROTECTION 
RULES AND RESTRICTIONS ON DISCHARGE 
BY REASON OF GARNISHMENT AND DIS-
CRIMINATORY TREATMENT BY REASON OF 
BANKRUPTCY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part A of title II (2 U.S.C. 1311 
et seq.) is amended—
(1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘FAIR LABOR 
STANDARDS,’’ and all that follows and inserting 
‘‘AND OTHER PROTECTIONS AND BENEFITS’’; 
(2) by redesignating section 207 as section 209; 
and 
(3) by inserting after section 206 the following 
new sections: 
‘‘SEC. 207. RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS UNDER WHISTLE-
BLOWER PROTECTION RULES. 
‘‘(a) RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS DESCRIBED.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—No employing office may 
take or fail to take, or threaten to take or fail to 
take, a personnel action (within the meaning of 
chapter 23 of title 5, United States Code) with re-
spect to any covered employee or applicant for em-
ployment because of—
‘‘(A) any disclosure of information by a 
covered employee or applicant which the em-
ployee or applicant reasonably believes evi-
dences—
‘‘(i) a violation of any law, rule, or 
regulation, or 
‘‘(ii) gross mismanagement, a gross 
waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or
a substantial and specific danger to public 
health or safety, 
if such disclosure is not specifically prohibited 
by law and if such information is not specifi-
cally required by Executive order or the rules of 
the House of Representatives or Senate to be 
kept secret in the interest of national defense or 
the conduct of foreign affairs; or 
‘‘(B) any disclosure to the General Coun-
sel, or to the Inspector General of an executive 
agency or employing office or another employee 
designated by the head of the agency or office 
to receive such disclosures, of information which 
the employee or applicant reasonably believes 
evidences—
‘‘(i) a violation of any law, rule, or 
regulation, or 
‘‘(ii) gross mismanagement, a gross 
waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or 
a substantial and specific danger to public 
health or safety. 
‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sec-
tion and for purposes of applying the procedures es-
tablished under title IV for the consideration of al-
leged violations of this section—
‘‘(A) the term ‘covered employee’ includes 
an employee of the General Accounting Office 
or Library of Congress; and 
‘‘(B) the term ‘employing office’ includes 
the General Accounting Office and the Library 
of Congress. 
‘‘(b) REMEDY.—The remedy for a violation of sub-
section (a) shall be such remedy as would be appropriate 
if awarded under chapter 12 of title 5, United States 
Code, with respect to a prohibited personnel practice de-
scribed in section 2302(b)(8) of such title. 
‘‘(c) REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT SECTION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall, pursuant 
to section 304, issue regulations to implement this 
section. 
‘‘(2) AGENCY REGULATIONS.—The regulations 
issued under paragraph (1) shall be the same as the 
substantive regulations promulgated by the Merit 
Systems Protection Board to implement chapters 12 
and 23 of title 5, United States Code, except to the 
extent that the Board of Directors of the Office of 
Compliance may determine, for good cause shown 
and stated together with the regulation, that a modi-
fication of such regulations would be more effective
for the implementation of the rights and protections 
under this section. 
‘‘SEC. 208. RESTRICTION ON DISCHARGE FROM EMPLOY-
MENT BY REASON OF GARNISHMENT OR DIS-
CRIMINATORY TREATMENT BY REASON OF 
BANKRUPTCY. 
‘‘(a) GARNISHMENT.—
‘‘(1) RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS DESCRIBED.—
No employing office may discharge any covered em-
ployee by reason of the fact that the employee’s 
earnings have been subjected to garnishment for any 
one indebtedness. 
‘‘(2) REMEDY.—The remedy for a violation of 
paragraph (1) shall be such remedy as would be ap-
propriate if awarded under section 304(b) of the 
Consumer 
Credit 
Protection 
Act 
(15 
U.S.C. 
1674(b)). 
‘‘(b) BANKRUPTCY.—
‘‘(1) RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS DESCRIBED.—
No employing office may deny employment to, termi-
nate the employment of, or discriminate with respect 
to employment against, a covered employee who is or 
has been a debtor under title 11, United States 
Code, or a bankrupt or a debtor under the Bank-
ruptcy Act, or another covered employee with whom