Congressional Accountability Enhancement Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-3963
Sponsor: Rep. Shays, Christopher [R-CT-4]
Introduced: 2004-03-11 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Architect of the Capitol
Architecture and the disabled
Armed Forces and National Security
Arts, Culture, Religion
Bankruptcy
Botanical gardens
Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Civil rights enforcement
Congressional Budget Office
Congressional agencies
Congressional employees
Congressional information resources
Congressional joint committees
Congressional office buildings
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Debtor and creditor
Disabled
Disciplining of employees
Discrimination against the disabled
Discrimination in employment
Discrimination in public facilities
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Employee rights
Employment of the disabled
Federal employees
Federal libraries
Finance and Financial Sector
Garnishment
General Accounting Office
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Government Operations and Politics
Government downsizing
Government paperwork
Government procurement
Governmental investigations
Information technology
Injunctions
Judicial review
Juries
Labor and Employment
Law
Library of Congress
Misconduct in office
Polygraphs
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Science, Technology, Communications
Signs and signboards
Standards
Veterans' employment
Vocational rehabilitation
Waste in government spending
Whistle blowing

Summary:
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: 
Congressional Accountability Enhancement Act of 2004 - Amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to prohibit discrimination in access to and use of congressional electronic and information technology by Federal and non-Federal individuals with disabilities.
 
Amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to apply such prohibition to the General Accounting Office (GAO), the Government Printing Office, and the Library of Congress.
 
Grants covered employees and applicants for such employment rights and protections under Whistleblower Protection Rules.
 
Includes: (1) GAO employees and Library of Congress employees as covered employees; and (2) GAO and the Library of Congress as employing offices.
 
Prohibits an employing office from: (1) discharging a covered employee by reason of a garnishment of such individual's earnings for any one indebtedness; or (2) denying employment to, terminating the employment of, or discriminating with respect to employment against a covered employee who has been a debtor or bankrupt under the Bankruptcy Act, or discriminating against another covered employee with whom such bankrupt or debtor has been associated, solely because of debtor or insolvent status.
 
Prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation of legislative branch entities.
 
Covers legislative branch employees under the Federal Judicial Code rules protecting jurors' employment.
 
Applies administrative and judicial dispute-resolution procedures of the Act for violations of certain rights and protections under: (1) the Employee Polograph Protection Act of 1988; (2) the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act; and (3) Federal law regarding veterans' employment and reemployment.
 
Directs the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance to study and report to Congress on the feasibility and desirability of extending all procedural rules and enforcement mechanisms under the Act to all legislative branch entities.
 
Requires employing offices to post notices of rights and protections applicable to covered employees under the Act and any other Federal law relating to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services and accommodations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-04-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
action_date: 2004-04-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2004-04-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E354)
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-03-11
text: Introduced in House