115th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To amend the National Labor Relations Act to modify the authority of the National Labor Relations Board with respect to rulemaking, issuance of complaints, and authority over unfair labor practices.
March 24, 2017
Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr. Gosar, Mrs. Comstock, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Harper, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Graves of Georgia, Mr. Babin, Mr. Farenthold, Mr. Loudermilk, Mr. Flores, Mr. Yoho, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Huizenga, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Olson, and Mr. Allen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
To amend the National Labor Relations Act to modify the authority of the National Labor Relations Board with respect to rulemaking, issuance of complaints, and authority over unfair labor practices.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Protecting American Jobs Act”.
SEC. 2. Amendments to the National Labor Relations Act.
(a) Duties of the General Counsel and Administrative Law Judges.—The National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in section 3(d), by striking “and issuance of complaints under section 10, and in respect of the prosecution of such complaints before the Board”; and
(2) in section 4(a), by striking the fourth sentence.
(b) Clarification of the Board’s rulemaking authority.—Section 6 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 156) is amended by adding at the end the following: “Such rulemaking authority shall be limited to rules concerning the internal functions of the Board and the Board is prohibited from promulgating rules that affect the substantive rights of any person, employer, employee, or labor organization.”.
(c) Investigatory power and Adjudicatory Authority Over Unfair Labor Practice Allegations.—Section 10 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 60) is amended—
(A) by striking “prevent any person from engaging in” and inserting “investigate”; and
(B) by striking “This power shall” and all that follows through the end of the subsection;
(A) by striking “Whenever it is charged” and inserting “Whenever it appears”;
(B) by striking “or is engaging in” and inserting “, is engaging in, or is about to engage in”;
(C) by striking “the Board, or any agent” and all that follows through “Provided, That no complaint shall be issued” and inserting “the aggrieved party may bring a civil action for such relief (including injunctions) as may be appropriate. Any such action may be brought in the district court of the United States where the violation occurred, or at the option of the parties, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. No civil action may be brought”;
(D) by striking “charge with the Board and the service of a copy thereof upon the person against whom such charge is made” and inserting “civil action”; and
(E) by striking “Any such complaint may be amended” and all that follows through “Any such proceeding shall, so far as practicable,” and inserting “Any such proceeding shall”;
(3) by striking subsections (c) through (k) and redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (c); and
(4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated)—
(A) by striking “Whenever it is charged” and inserting “Whenever it is alleged”;
(B) in the first sentence, by striking “charge” both places it appears and inserting “allegation”; and
(C) by striking “and that a complaint should issue, he shall” and all that follows through the end of the subsection and inserting “, the officer or regional attorney shall, on behalf of the Board, submit a written summary of the findings to all parties involved in the alleged unfair labor practice.”.
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Labor Relations Board shall review and revise all regulations promulgated before such date to implement the amendments made by this Act.