Q: What is the Congressional Accountability Act?
A: This landmark 10-year-old law applies a dozen federal civil rights, labor, and workplace safety laws to the U.S. Congress and legislative branch of the federal government. Prior to the adoption of this bill in 1995, lawmakers were making the rules for the rest of the American workplace but weren't required to live by them as employers themselves. As the lead Senate author of the Congressional Accountability Act, I led the effort more than a decade ago to apply the same workplace safety and worker protection laws to the 30,000 employees of the legislative branch of the federal government.
Q: Why did you champion the effort in Congress to see this bill signed into law?
A: Finding inspiration in a pledge made 200 years ago by James Madison in Federalist 57, I agree that Congress needs to understand first-hand how its laws affect the 'great mass of society...It creates between them that communion of interests…without which every government degenerates into tyranny.' It boils down to an issue of fairness and good governance. If lawmakers aren't subject to the same workplace safety standards or held accountable to the same employment and worker protection laws affecting small business owners all across the country, I don't see how elected members of Congress can put themselves in the shoes of those we represent. By giving us a taste of our own medicine, the Congressional Accountability Act gives lawmakers the opportunity to understand first-hand how a law plays out in the real world. I like to call it: Lawmakers Meet Main Street. Subject to play by the same rules, members of Congress will find out for themselves if a law is unnecessary or unduly burdensome to the private sector. For too long, lawmakers were exempted from compliance with age discrimination, civil rights, disability, overtime, occupational safety and health laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, governing small business all along Main Street USA. After a decade on the books, I am glad to report the sky didn't fall like a few of my colleagues predicted it would 10 years ago during the debate. The law has brought equity to those who work in the legislative branch.