To amend title 5, United States Code, to increase the accountability of the Office of Special Counsel in enforcing certain provisions of that title vigorously, consistently, and without regard to the political affiliation, career status, or personal characteristics of individuals subject to those provisions, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · May 16, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
This bill increases transparency and accountability in how the Office of Special Counsel enforces the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees' political activities. The legislation requires the Special Counsel to submit detailed reports to Congress every 180 days listing complaints they receive and whether they refer them for disciplinary action, with separate tracking for career versus political appointee employees. It also mandates annual reports to Congress specifically about political activity allegations against political appointees, including details in a confidential section about complaints the office decided not to investigate. Additionally, the bill requires the Office of Special Counsel to publish demographic data on its website—organized by race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, and disability status—for all political activity complaints it receives, both for career employees and political appointees, and keep this data available for at least ten fiscal years. The bill aims to ensure that Hatch Act enforcement is consistent and not influenced by an employee's political affiliation or status.
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