InsideGov
Congress · Laws

Speak Out Act

Public Law 117-224 · S. 4524 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 7, 2022 · Law

Sponsor: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Cosponsors (14): Sen. Marsha Blackburn,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 315 yea, 109 nay315–109
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

Report a correction

Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

This act prohibits the judicial enforceability of a nondisclosure clause or nondisparagement clause agreed to before a dispute arises involving sexual assault or sexual harassment in violation of federal, tribal, or state law.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 315 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

315 yea109 nay8 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(215)

Republicans who voted yea(100)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 927 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

Report a correction

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

Report a correction

Related bills

2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 8227Related bill

    Speak Out Act

  • H.Res. 1464Procedurally-related

    Providing for consideration of the bill (S. 4524) to limit the judicial enforceability of predispute nondisclosure and nondisparagement contract clauses relating to disputes involving sexual assault and sexual harassmen…

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

  1. Dec 7, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-224.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 1, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 16, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 315 - 109 (Roll no. 480).House roll call 480
  6. FloorFloor · The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  7. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on S. 4524.
  8. FloorFloor · Rule provides for consideration of S. 4524 with 1 hour of general debate. Bill is closed to amendments. The resolution provides that any time through the legislative day of Nov. 18, 2022, the Speaker may entertain motions offered by the Majority Leader or a designee that the Hou…
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1464.
  10. Nov 15, 2022FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 1464 passed House.
  11. Nov 14, 2022FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1464 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of S. 4524 with 1 hour of general debate. Bill is closed to amendments. The resolution provides that any time through the legislative day of Nov. 18, 2022, the Speaker may entertain motion…
  12. Sep 30, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  13. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  14. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  15. Sep 29, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  16. Sep 20, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 493.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  18. Sep 15, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  19. Jul 13, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  20. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

Report a correction

Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

Report a correction

Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.