Equal Remedies Act of 2026

Edward J. Markey

Democrat · MA · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

2026-06-08

Source: Congress.gov

This bill would expand the types of compensation and legal remedies available to workers who win discrimination lawsuits based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, bringing those remedies in line with what's available in other civil rights cases. It would also extend similar expanded remedies to workers who file age discrimination complaints, ensuring older workers have the same legal tools available as workers facing other forms of discrimination. The changes would make it easier for employees to recover damages when they successfully prove they've been discriminated against on the job.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4706 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4706 To amend section 1977A of the Revised Statutes to equalize the remedies available under that section and to amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to provide any legal or equitable relief available under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 8, 2026 Mr. Markey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend section 1977A of the Revised Statutes to equalize the remedies available under that section and to amend the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to provide any legal or equitable relief available under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Equal Remedies Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. EQUALIZATION OF REMEDIES. Section 1977A of the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1981a) is amended-- (1) by amending (b)(3) to read as follows: ``(3) Losses.--Compensatory damages are available under this section for past and future pecuniary losses, emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and other nonpecuniary losses.''; and (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``section--'' and all that follows through the period at the end, and inserting ``section, any party may demand a jury trial.''. SEC. 3. COMPENSATORY AND PUNITIVE DAMAGES AVAILABLE FOR AGE DISCRIMINATION. Section 7(b) of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 626(b)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``(b) The'' and all that follows through the third sentence and inserting the following: ``(b)(1) Except as otherwise provided in another subsection of this section, or section 9, the powers, remedies, and procedures set forth in sections 705, 706, 707, 709, and 710 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-4, 2000e-5, 2000e-6, 2000e-8, and 2000e-9) shall be the powers, remedies, and procedures this Act provides to the Commission, to the Attorney General, or to any person alleging discrimination on the basis of age in violation of section 4 or 15, or regulations promulgated under section 9.''; (2) in the second sentence of that subsection (b), as amended by paragraph (1)-- (A) by striking ``In any'' and inserting the following: ``(2) In any''; and (B) by striking ``or enforcing the liability for amounts deemed to be unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation under this section'' and inserting ``and including any type of legal or equitable relief available for an unlawful employment practice under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.)''; and (3) in the third sentence of that subsection (b), as amended by paragraph (1), by striking ``Before'' and inserting the following: ``(3) Before''. <all>

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