Victims' Voice and Transparency Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 215 To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to prohibit the imposition of a nondisclosure agreement as a condition of the payment of any award or settlement in connection with a violation of such Act. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 5, 2021 Mr. STEWART introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration A BILL To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to prohibit the imposition of a nondisclosure agreement as a condition of the payment of any award or settlement in connection with a violation of such Act. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Victims’ Voice and 4 Transparency Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:51 Feb 05, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H215.IH H215 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 215 IH SEC. 2. PROHIBITING IMPOSITION OF NONDISCLOSURE 1 AGREEMENT AS CONDITION OF AWARD OR 2 SETTLEMENT UNDER CONGRESSIONAL AC- 3 COUNTABILITY ACT OF 1995. 4 (a) PROHIBITION.—Section 401 of the Congressional 5 Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1401) is amended 6 by adding at the end the following new subsection: 7 ‘‘(h) PROHIBITING IMPOSITION OF NONDISCLOSURE 8 AGREEMENTS.—A nondisclosure agreement may not be 9 imposed on any party as a condition of the payment of 10 any award or settlement in connection with a violation of 11 part A of title II.’’. 12 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 13 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to awards and set- 14 tlements paid in connection with the Congressional Ac- 15 countability Act of 1995 on or after the date of the enact- 16 ment of this Act. 17 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:51 Feb 05, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H215.IH H215 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS