Women's Equality Workforce Oversight Act or the WE Work Act
This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study to determine which federal agencies have the greatest impact on women's participation in the workforce and evaluate the impact of those agencies.
Such agencies shall include, at a minimum:
The study shall examine, among other things, each agency's policies and procedures for improving the participation of women in the workforce and shall also include an analysis of specific barriers to such participation.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5565 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5565
To require a study of Federal agencies to determine which Federal
agencies have the greatest impact on women's participation in the
workforce.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 18, 2018
Mrs. Lawrence (for herself, Ms. Norton, Ms. Moore, Ms. Lee, Mr. Gomez,
Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Cooper, Ms. Titus, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New
York, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Bass, Mr.
Brown of Maryland, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi,
Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Ms. Eddie Bernice
Johnson of Texas, and Ms. Clark of Massachusetts) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a study of Federal agencies to determine which Federal
agencies have the greatest impact on women's participation in the
workforce.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Women's Equality Workforce Oversight
Act'' or the ``WE Work Act''.
SEC. 2. G.A.O. STUDY.
(a) Study Required.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, and every year thereafter, the Comptroller
General of the United States shall conduct a study of Federal agencies
to determine which agencies have the greatest impact on women's
participation in the workforce, and evaluate the impact of these
agencies.
(b) Suggested Agencies.--Such agencies shall include, at a
minimum--
(1) the Department of Labor, specifically the Women's
Bureau at such Department;
(2) the Department of Transportation;
(3) the Small Business Administration, including the Office
of Women's Business Ownership; and
(4) any apprenticeship program that receives funding from a
Federal agency.
SEC. 3. CONTENTS OF STUDY.
(a) In General.--The study required by section 2 shall review and
evaluate the following factors, for those agencies that the Comptroller
General has identified as having the greatest impact on women's
participation in the workforce, including the following:
(1) Policies and procedures.--The study shall examine--
(A) each agency's policies and procedures related
to improving women's participation in the workforce,
including efforts related to fair compensation,
benefits, such as paid leave and workplace supports for
pregnancy and families, participation in non-
traditional and higher-paying jobs, enforcement of
workplace rights, and prevention of sexual and other
harassment;
(B) each agency's compliance with its statutory and
regulatory requirements on these matters;
(C) any policy changes in the agency within the
study period, and the reasoning for such changes; and
(D) any procedural changes to the agency's
reporting and participation within the agency.
(2) Impact.--The study shall also examine--
(A) the number of women who received technical
assistance, grants, loans, contracts, and other
services from the agency in each fiscal year, and the
number of such individuals who received these services
in the prior five fiscal years;
(B) the number of organizations who received such
outreach, services, and other engagement with the
agency;
(C) the extent of the agency's outreach and public
education efforts for women, including the publication
of reports and statistics, public announcement of
enforcement actions, and regional outreach engaging
local stakeholders;
(3) Appropriations and staff.--The study shall consider--
(A) any reductions to appropriations and
obligations for each agency and the actual and
projected impact of these reductions; and
(B) any staff reductions in each agency, including
attrition, vacancies, and positions eliminated and the
impact of these changes.
(b) Analysis.--The study shall also include an analysis of the
specific barriers to women's participation in the workforce, including
an assessment of further opportunities to reduce those barriers.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
A report containing the results of the study and analysis shall be
transmitted annually to the Committees on Oversight and Government
Reform and Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives
and the Committees on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
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