H.R. 3285: District of Columbia Employee Suitability Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-10-31 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-10-31 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Issa, Darrell E. [R-CA-49] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

District of Columbia Employee Suitability Act of 2011

Plain summary

District of Columbia Employee Suitability Act of 2011 - Amends the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to establish criteria to determine whether an individual is suitable for employment with the District of Columbia government. Authorizes the hiring authority involved, subject to exceptions, to find an individual unsuitable and take a suitability action only on the basis of: (1) misconduct or negligence in employment; (2) criminal or dishonest conduct; (3) material, intentional false statement, or deception or fraud in examination or appointment; (4) alcohol abuse of a specified character; (5) illegal use of narcotics, drugs, or other controlled substances without evidence of substantial rehabilitation; (6) knowing and willful engagement in acts or activities designed to overthrow the U.S. government by force; and (7) any statutory or regulatory bar preventing the lawful employment of the individual involved in the position in question. Specifies additional factors the hiring authority may consider. Prohibits a hiring authority from making a new determination under this Act for an individual who has already been determined suitable or fit based on character or conduct unless: (1) a new investigation is required under the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 (Merit Personnel Act) or any successor law, or (2) no new investigation is required but the investigative record on file for the individual shows conduct incompatible with the core duties of the relevant covered position. Makes such suitability determination factors: (1) applicable to any office in the District of Columbia executive branch and to any District of Columbia independent agency, and (2) inapplicable to the Council and courts of the District of Columbia. Prohibits appointments to any position in the excepted service under the Merit Personnel Act unless the individual applies for and submits to a criminal background check in accordance with the Criminal Background Checks for the Protection of Children Act of 2004.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

District of Columbia Employee Suitability Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Issa, Darrell E. [R-CA-49] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Issa, Darrell E. [R-CA-49] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr3285.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr3285 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112