Congress Leads by Example Act of 2026

The Congress Leads by Example Act of 2026 expands workplace protections for employees of the legislative branch, including the House, Senate, and agencies like the Government Accountability Office and Library of Congress. The bill strengthens existing safety rules by giving the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights new authority to investigate workplace hazards and explicitly forbids retaliation against staff who report these issues. It also extends several federal employee rights to congressional staff, such as protections against firing due to garnishment or bankruptcy, access to parental bereavement leave, and mandatory mediation for labor disputes. Additionally, the legislation requires legislative offices to keep specific records regarding discrimination claims and ensures that hearings related to these complaints are open to the public.