Congressional Accountability Act Enhancement Act

Clause (i) of section 415(d)(1)(C) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1415(d)(1)(C)) is amended to read as follows:

(i) a violation of section 201(a) or section 206(a); or

Clause (i) of section 402(b)(2)(B) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1402(b)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows:

(i) a violation of section 201(a) or section 206(a); or

Section 415(e) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1415(e)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking a violation of section 201(a) or 206(a) and inserting a violation described in paragraph (4); and

(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

A violation described in this paragraph is—

(A) a violation of section 201(a) or 206(a); or

(B) intimidation, reprisal, or discrimination that is unlawful under section 207 and is taken against a covered employee because of a claim alleging a violation described in subparagraph (A).

The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to claims under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 which are made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Section 403(d) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1402a(d)) is amended to read as follows:

If the hearing officer’s report on the preliminary review of a claim under subsection (c) includes the determination that the individual filing the claim is not a covered employee or has not stated a claim for which relief may be granted under this title—

(A) the individual may file an amended version of the claim under this section; and

(B) the amended claim shall be subject to a preliminary review under this section in the same manner as the original version of the claim.

If the individual does not file an amended claim under paragraph (1)(A) prior to the expiration of the 10-day period which begins on the date the hearing officer submits the report on the preliminary review of the individual’s original version of the claim under subsection (c), or if the hearing officer’s report on the amended version of the claim includes the determination that the individual filing the claim is not a covered employee or has not stated a claim for which relief may be granted under this title—

(A) the individual (including an individual who is a Library claimant, as defined in section 401(d)(1)) may not obtain a formal hearing with respect to the claim as provided under section 405; and

(B) the hearing officer shall provide the individual and the Executive Director with a written notice that the individual may file a civil action with respect to the claim in accordance with section 408.

The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to claims under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 which are made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Notwithstanding section 724(c) of House Resolution 724, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, if a covered employee of the House of Representatives under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 files a civil action with respect to an alleged violation of such Act, as provided in section 408 of such Act, the Office of Employee Advocacy may provide assistance to the employee with respect to investigations or proceedings under such Act in connection with such alleged violation at any time, including after the employee files such action.

This section is enacted by Congress—

(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives, and as such it is deemed a part of the rules of the House of Representatives, and it supersedes other rules only to the extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and

(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of the House of Representatives to change the rules (so far as relating to the procedure of the House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the House.