Home > 106th Congressional Bills > H.R. 5517 (ih) To provide for the return of escheated property consisting of military medals to the military department which issued them, to authorize the military departments to donate such medals to appropriate museums and resource centers, and for oth...H.R. 5517 (ih) To provide for the return of escheated property consisting of military medals to the military department which issued them, to authorize the military departments to donate such medals to appropriate museums and resource centers, and for oth...
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5516
To require that Federal agencies be accountable for violations of anti-
discrimination and whistleblower protection laws, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 19, 2000
Mr. Sensenbrenner (for himself, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mrs.
Morella) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on
Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require that Federal agencies be accountable for violations of anti-
discrimination and whistleblower protection laws, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Notification and Federal Employee
Anti-discrimination and Retaliation Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) good science requires a tolerance of opposing
viewpoints;
(2) Federal agencies cannot be run effectively if they
practice or tolerate discrimination;
(3) the Committee on Science of the House of
Representatives has heard testimony from individuals, including
representatives of the National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People and the National Whistleblower Center, that
point to chronic problems of discrimination and retaliation
against Federal employees at the Environmental Protection
Agency;
(4) in August 2000, a jury found that the Environmental
Protection Agency had discriminated against a senior social
scientist, and awarded that scientist $600,000;
(5) in October 2000, an Occupational Safety and Health
Administration investigation found that the Environmental
Protection Agency had retaliated against a senior scientist for
disagreeing with that agency on a matter of science and for
helping Congress to carry out its oversight responsibilities;
(6) notifying Federal employees of their rights under
discrimination and whistleblower statutes should increase
agency compliance with the law;
(7) requiring annual reports to Congress on the number and
severity of discrimination and whistleblower cases brought
against each Federal agency should enable Congress to improve
its oversight over agencies' compliance with the law; and
(8) penalizing Federal agencies by requiring them to pay
for any discrimination or whistleblower judgment, award, or
settlement should improve agency accountability with respect to
whistleblower and discrimination laws.
SEC. 3. REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENT.
(a) Applicability.--This section applies with respect to any
payment made under section 1304 of title 31, United States Code
(relating to judgments, awards, and compromise settlements) to any
Federal employee, former Federal employee, or applicant for Federal
employment, in connection with any proceeding brought by or on behalf
of such employee, former employee, or applicant under--
(1) any provision of law cited in subsection (c); or
(2) any other provision of law which prohibits any form of
discrimination, as identified under regulations prescribed
under section 6.
(b) Requirement.--An amount equal to the amount of each payment
described in subsection (a) shall be reimbursed to the fund described
in section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, out of any
appropriation, fund, or other account available for operating expenses
of the Federal agency to which the discriminatory conduct involved is
attributable, as determined under section 6.
(c) Scope.--The provisions of law cited in this subsection are
section 322(a) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7622(a)), section 110(a)
of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9610(a)), section 507(a) of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1367(a)), section 1450(i)(1) of the
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-9(i)(1)), section 7001(a) of
the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6971(a)), and section 23(a) of
the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2622(a)).
SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Written notification of the rights and protections
available to Federal employees, former Federal employees, and
applicants for Federal employment (as the case may be) in connection
with the respective provisions of law covered by paragraphs (1)-(2) of
section 3(a) shall be provided to such employees, former employees, and
applicants--
(1) in accordance with otherwise applicable provisions of
law; or
(2) if to the extent that no such notification would
otherwise be required, in such time, form, and manner as shall
under section 6 be required in order to carry out the purposes
of this section.
(b) Posting on the Internet.--Any written notification under this
section shall include, but not be limited to, the posting of the
information required under subsection (a)(1) or (2) (as applicable) on
the Internet site of the Federal agency involved.
SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
Each Federal agency shall submit to Congress an annual report which
shall include, with respect to the prior calendar year--
(1) the number of cases arising under each of the
respective provisions of law covered by paragraphs (1)-(2) of
section 3(a) in which discrimination on the part of such agency
was alleged;
(2) the status or disposition of cases described in
paragraph (1);
(3) the amount of money required to be reimbursed by such
agency under section 3 in connection with each of those cases,
if any; and
(4) the number of employees disciplined for discrimination,
retaliation, harassment, or any other infraction of any
provision of law referred to in paragraph (1).
SEC. 6. REGULATIONS.
Any regulations necessary to carry out this Act shall be prescribed
by the President or his designee.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``Federal agency'' means an Executive agency,
as defined by section 105 of title 5, United States Code;
(2) the term ``Federal employee'' means an individual
employed in or under a Federal agency;
(3) the term ``former Federal employee'' means an
individual formerly employed in or under a Federal agency; and
(4) the term ``applicant for Federal employment'' means an
individual applying for employment in or under a Federal
agency.
<all>
Pages: 1 Other Popular 106th Congressional Bills Documents:
|
| GovRecords.org presents information on various agencies of the United States Government. Even though all information is believed to be credible and accurate, no guarantees are made on the complete accuracy of our government records archive. Care should be taken to verify the information presented by responsible parties. Please see our reference page for congressional, presidential, and judicial branch contact information. GovRecords.org values visitor privacy. Please see the privacy page for more information. |
 |