Oversight Committee Gets Quick Start, House Passes Five Bills from Committee

Statement

Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed five bills on a bipartisan basis sponsored by Members of the Oversight Committee:

"I am very pleased that the House of Representatives has taken such quick action today by passing five bills from our Committee--and with such overwhelming bipartisan support. These measures will strengthen protections for federal employees and federal interns, enhance accountability, and improve the federal procurement and grant processes."

Two of the bills were authored by Cummings--H.R. 135, the Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act, and H.R. 136, the Federal Intern Protection Act. Cummings made the following statement on these bills:

"One of my highest priorities as Chairman is to protect the right of every federal employee, every federal job applicant--and indeed of every citizen--to equality of opportunity. While the clear majority of federal workplaces are in compliance with the standards for a model Equal Employment Opportunity program promulgated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sadly, some still are not. It is past time for these failures to be corrected."

"In addition, the Federal Intern Protection Act would close a loophole in federal employment law that currently leaves unpaid interns open to discrimination and sexual harassment without any legal recourse," Cummings continued. "This bill will give federal interns the same protections already provided to federal employees."

Below is a list of the bipartisan Oversight Committee bills passed by the House today:

H.R.135, Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2019, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD)

Would strengthen the management of federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) programs by requiring that they operate independently of agencies' human resources and general counsel offices; require that the head of each agency EEO program report directly to the head of the agency; and prohibit any forms, policies, or agreements that seek to prevent an employee from disclosing waste, fraud, or abuse to Congress, the Office of Special Counsel, or an Inspector General.

H.R.136, Federal Intern Protection Act of 2019, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD)

Would give federal interns the same protections against discrimination and sexual harassment already provided to federal employees.

H.R.113, All-American Flag Act, Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL)

Would require all federal agencies to purchase American flags that are manufactured in the United States using materials grown or produced in the United States.

H.R.247, Federal CIO Authorization Act of 2019, Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX)

Would update the name of the Administrator for E-Government to the Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) and require direct reporting of that individual to the Director of OMB; would establish the position of Federal Chief Information Security Officer; and require the Federal CIO to submit a proposal on consolidating IT across federal agencies.

H.R.202, Inspector General Access Act of 2019, Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA)

Would allow the Inspector General of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate allegations of misconduct by DOJ attorneys.

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