Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 105 Part 2.djvu/140

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105 STAT. 1092 PUBLIC LAW 102-166—NOV. 21, 1991 (2) OBJECTIONS,—If a witness refuses, on the basis of relevance, privilege, or other objection, to testify in response to a question or to produce records in connection with the proceedings of a hearing board, the hearing board shall rule on the objection. At the request of the witness, the employee, or employing office, or on its own initiative, the hearing board may refer the objection to the Select Committee on Ethics for a ruling. (3) ENFORCEMENT.—The Select Committee on Ethics may make to the Senate any recommendations by report or resolution, including recommendations for criminal or civil enforcement by or on behalf of the Office, which the Select Committee on Ethics may consider appropriate with respect to— (A) the failure or refusal of any person to appear in proceedings under this or to produce records in obedience to a subpoena or order of the hearing board; or (B) the failure or refusal of any person to answer questions during his or her appearance as a witness in a proceeding under this section. For purposes of section 1365 of title 28, United States Code, the Office shall be deemed to be a committee of the Senate. (g) DECISION.—The hearing board shall issue a written decision as expeditiously as possible, but in no case more than 45 days after the conclusion of the hearing. The written decision shall be transmitted by the Office to the employee and the employing office. The decision shall state the issues raised by the complaint, describe the evidence in the record, and contain a determination as to whether a violation has occurred. (h) REMEDIES.— I f the hearing board determines that a violation has occurred, it shall order such remedies as would be appropriate if awarded under section 706(g) and (k) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-5 (g) and (k)), and may also order the award of such compensatory damages as would be appropriate if awarded under section 1977 and section 1977A (a) and (b)(2) of the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1981 and 1981A (a) and (b)(2)). In the case of a determination that a violation based on age has occurred, the hearing board shall order such remedies as would be appropriate if awarded under section 15(c) of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 633a(c)). Any order requiring the payment of money must be approved by a Senate resolution reported by the Committee on Rules and Administration. The hearing board shall have no authority to award punitive damages. (i) PRECEDENT AND INTERPRETATIONS.—Hearing boards shall be guided by judicial decisions under statutes referred to in section 302 and subsection (h) of this section, as well as the precedents developed by the Select Committee on Ethics under section 308, and other Senate precedents. 2 USC 1208. SEC. 308. REVIEW BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS. (a) IN GENERAL. —An employee or the head of an employing office may request that the Select Committee on Ethics (referred to in this section as the "Committee"), or such other entity as the Senate may designate, review a decision under section 307, including any decision following a remand under subsection (c), by filing a request for review with the Office not later than 10 days after the receipt of the decision of a hearing board. The Office, at the discretion of the Director, on its own initiative and for good cause, may file a request