1. (a) Establishment There is established, as an independent office within the legislative branch of the Federal Government, the Office of Compliance.
2. (b) Board of Directors The Office shall have a Board of Directors. The Board shall consist of 5 individuals appointed jointly by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate, who are authorized to take such steps as they consider appropriate to ensure the timely appointment of the members of the Board consistent with the requirements of this section. Appointments of the first 5 members of the Board shall be completed not later than 90 days after January 23, 1995.
3. (c) Chair The Chair shall be appointed from members of the Board jointly by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

4. (d) Board of Directors qualifications

   1. (1) Specific qualifications Selection and appointment of members of the Board shall be without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the Office. Members of the Board shall have training or experience in the application of the rights, protections, and remedies under one or more of the laws made applicable under section 1302 of this title.

   2. (2) Disqualifications for appointments

      1. (A) Lobbying No individual who engages in, or is otherwise employed in, lobbying of the Congress and who is required under the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act ¹ to register with the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate shall be eligible for appointment to, or service on, the Board.
      2. (B) Incompatible office No member of the Board appointed under subsection (b) may hold or may have held the position of Member of the House of Representatives or Senator, may hold the position of officer or employee of the House of Representatives, Senate, or instrumentality or other entity of the legislative branch (other than the Office), or may have held such a position (other than the position of an officer or employee of the General Accounting Office Personnel Appeals Board,² an officer or employee of the Office of Fair Employment Practices of the House of Representatives, or officer or employee of the Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices) within 4 years of the date of appointment.
   3. (3) Vacancies A vacancy on the Board shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.

5. (e) Term of office

   1. (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), membership on the Board shall be for 5 years. A member of the Board may be reappointed, but no individual may serve as a member for more than 2 terms.

   2. (2) First appointments Of the members first appointed to the Board—

      1. (A) 1 shall have a term of office of 3 years,
      2. (B) 2 shall have a term of office of 4 years, and
      3. (C) 2 shall have a term of office of 5 years, 1 of whom shall be the Chair,

      as designated at the time of appointment by the persons specified in subsection (b).

   3. (3) Permitting service until appointment of successor A member of the Board may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until a successor has taken office.

6. (f) Removal

   1. (1) Authority Any member of the Board may be removed from office by a majority decision of the appointing authorities described in subsection (b), but only for—

      1. (A) disability that substantially prevents the member from carrying out the duties of the member,
      2. (B) incompetence,
      3. (C) neglect of duty,
      4. (D) malfeasance, including a felony or conduct involving moral turpitude, or
      5. (E) holding an office or employment or engaging in an activity that disqualifies the individual from service as a member of the Board under subsection (d)(2).
   2. (2) Statement of reasons for removal In removing a member of the Board, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall state in writing to the member of the Board being removed the specific reasons for the removal.

7. (g) Compensation

   1. (1) Per diem

      1. (A) Rate of compensation for each day Each member of the Board shall be compensated, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Board, at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the lesser of—

         1. (i) the highest annual rate of compensation of any officer of the Senate; or
         2. (ii) the highest annual rate of compensation of any officer of the House of Representatives.
      2. (B) Authority to prorate The rate of pay of a member may be prorated based on the portion of the day during which the member is engaged in the performance of Board duties.
   2. (2) Travel expenses Each member of the Board shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, for each day the member is engaged in the performance of duties away from the home or regular place of business of the member.

8. (h) Duties The Office shall—

   1. (1) carry out a program of education for Members of Congress and other employing authorities of the legislative branch of the Federal Government respecting the laws made applicable to them and a program to inform individuals of their rights under laws applicable to the legislative branch of the Federal Government;
   2. (2) in carrying out the program under paragraph (1), distribute the telephone number and address of the Office, procedures for action under subchapter IV, and any other information appropriate for distribution, distribute such information to employing offices in a manner suitable for posting, provide such information to new employees of employing offices, distribute such information to covered employees by the end of each fiscal year, and conduct seminars and other activities designed to educate employing offices and covered employees; and
   3. (3) compile and publish statistics on the use of the Office by covered employees, including the number and type of contacts made with the Office, on the reason for such contacts, on the number of covered employees who initiated proceedings with the Office under this chapter and the result of such proceedings, and on the number of covered employees who filed a complaint, the basis for the complaint, and the action taken on the complaint.
9. (i) Congressional oversight The Board and the Office shall be subject to oversight (except with respect to the disposition of individual cases) by the Committee on Rules and Administration and the Committee on Governmental Affairs ² of the Senate and the Committee on House Oversight ² of the House of Representatives.
10. (j) Opening of Office The Office shall be open for business, including receipt of requests for counseling under section 1402 of this title, not later than 1 year after January 23, 1995.
11. (k) Financial disclosure reports Members of the Board and officers and employees of the Office shall file the financial disclosure reports required under title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

(Pub. L. 104–1, title III, § 301, Jan. 23, 1995, 109 Stat. 24; Pub. L. 108–349, § 1(a), Oct. 21, 2004, 118 Stat. 1389; Pub. L. 110–161, div. H, title I, § 1101(a), Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2237; Pub. L. 110–164, § 1, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2459; Pub. L. 113–235, div. H, title I, § 1001, Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2530; Pub. L. 115–19, § 1(c), (d), Apr. 3, 2017, 131 Stat. 85.)

References in Text

The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, referred to in subsec. (d)(2)(A), is title III of act Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 753, 60 Stat. 839, which was classified generally to chapter 8A (§ 261 et seq.) of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–65, § 11(a), Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 701. See section 1601 et seq. of this title.

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (h)(3), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 104–1, Jan. 23, 1995, 109 Stat. 3, as amended, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1301 of this title and Tables.

The Ethics in Government Act of 1978, referred to in subsec. (k), is Pub. L. 95–521, Oct. 26, 1978, 92 Stat. 1824, as amended. Title I of the Act is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 101 of Pub. L. 95–521 in the Appendix to Title 5 and Tables.

Amendments

2017—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–19, § 1(d), inserted “, who are authorized to take such steps as they consider appropriate to ensure the timely appointment of the members of the Board consistent with the requirements of this section” after “and the Senate”.

Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 115–19, § 1(c), added par. (3).

2014—Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 113–235 substituted “covered employees by the end of each fiscal year” for “the residences of covered employees”.

2007—Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 110–164 substituted “legislative branch (other than the Office),” for “legislative branch,”.

Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 110–161 added par. (1) and struck out heading and text of former par. (1). Text read as follows: “Each member of the Board shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5 for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Board. The rate of pay of a member may be prorated based on the portion of the day during which the member is engaged in the performance of Board duties.”

2004—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 108–349 amended second sentence generally. Prior to amendment, second sentence read as follows: “A member of the Board who is appointed to a term of office of more than 3 years shall only be eligible for appointment for a single term of office.”

Change of Name

General Accounting Office redesignated Government Accountability Office. See section 8 of Pub. L. 108–271, set out as a note under section 702 of Title 31, Money and Finance.

Committee on Governmental Affairs of Senate changed to Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of Senate, effective Jan. 4, 2005, by Senate Resolution No. 445, One Hundred Eighth Congress, Oct. 9, 2004.

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

Pub. L. 108–349, § 1(b), Oct. 21, 2004, 118 Stat. 1389, provided that:

“The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to individuals serving on the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance on or after

September 30, 2004.”

Appointment of Members of Board of Directors of Office of Compliance

Pub. L. 115–19, § 1(a), (b), Apr. 3, 2017, 131 Stat. 84, provided that:

1. “(a) Appointment of Members.—

   1. “(1) Members replacing members whose terms expire in march 2017.— Notwithstanding the first sentence of section 301(e) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1381(e)), of the members of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance who are appointed to replace the 3 members whose terms expire in March 2017—

      1. “(A) one shall have a term of office of 3 years; and
      2. “(B) 2 shall have a term of office of 4 years,“as designated at the time of appointment by the persons specified in section 301(b) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1381(b)).
   2. “(2) Members replacing members whose terms expire in may 2017.— In accordance with the first sentence of section 301(e) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1381(e)), the members of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance who are appointed to replace the 2 members whose terms expire in May 2017 shall each have a term of office of 5 years.

2. “(b) Service of Current Members.— Notwithstanding the second sentence of section 301(e) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1381(e)) or section 3 of the Office of Compliance Administrative and Technical Corrections Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–6; 2 U.S.C. 1381 note)—

   1. “(1) an individual serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance whose term expires in March 2017 may be reappointed to serve one additional term at the length designated under paragraph (1) of subsection (a), but may not be reappointed to any additional terms after that additional term expires; and
   2. “(2) an individual serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance whose term expires in May 2017 may be reappointed to serve one additional term at the length referred to in paragraph (2) of subsection (a), but may not be reappointed to any additional terms after that additional term expires.”

Pub. L. 114–6, § 3, Mar. 20, 2015, 129 Stat. 82, provided that:

“Notwithstanding section 301(e)(1) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (

2 U.S.C. 1381(e)(1)), any individual serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance as of

February 28, 2015, may be appointed to serve for one additional term of 2 years.”

Pub. L. 111–114, § 1, Dec. 14, 2009, 123 Stat. 3028, provided that:

“Notwithstanding the second sentence of section 301(e)(1) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (

2 U.S.C. 1381(e)(1)), any individual serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance as of

September 30, 2009, may serve for 3 terms.”

¹ See References in Text note below.

² See Change of Name note below.