H.R. 1521: EMPOWER Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-03-05 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-03-05 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-21] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. 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

EMPOWER Act

Plain summary

Ending the Monopoly of Power Over Workplace harassment through Education and Reporting Act or the EMPOWER Act This bill addresses policies and procedures related to claims of workplace harassment. Specifically, the bill makes it an unlawful practice (with exceptions regarding certain settlement or separation agreements) for an employer to (1) enter into a contract with an employee or applicant, as a condition of employment, promotion, compensation, benefits, or change in employment status or contractual relationship, if that contract contains a nondisparagement or nondisclosure clause that covers workplace harassment; and (2) enforce, or attempt to enforce, a nondisparagement clause or nondisclosure clause that covers workplace harassment. Under the bill, an employee or applicant retains any right they would otherwise have had to report a concern about workplace harassment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other specified agencies, regardless of whether they have signed a nondisparagement or nondisclosure clause. Employees or applicants also retain the right to pursue legal action regardless of signing such clauses. The bill sets forth (1) enforcement powers of the EEOC and other entities, and the jurisdiction of U.S. courts, regarding workplace harassment; and (2) the applicable procedures and remedies for employees' claims. The EEOC must (1) establish a confidential tip-line that supplements its process for submitting a charge of discrimination, and (2) provide for the development and dissemination of workplace training programs and information regarding workplace harassment. The bill modifies the tax treatment of expenses and payments related to workplace harassment and employment discrimination.

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

EMPOWER Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-21] · 88 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Sean Casten (D-IL), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Josh Harder (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA) and 28 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-21] reported raising $2.6 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)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

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-116hr1521.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr1521 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116