Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Pages H4870-H4871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION COORDINATION ACT
Mr. BLUM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the
Speaker's table the bill (S. 1869) to reauthorize and rename the
position of Whistleblower Ombudsman to be the Whistleblower Protection
Coordinator, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Iowa?
There was no objection.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 1869
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 ``Whistleblower Protection
Coordination Act''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION.
(a) In General.--Section 3(d) of the Inspector General Act
of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(C)--
(A) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as subclauses (I)
and (II), respectively, and adjusting the margins
accordingly;
(B) by striking ``Ombudsman who shall educate agency
employees--'' and inserting the following: ``Coordinator who
shall--
``(i) educate agency employees--'';
(C) in subclause (I), as so redesignated, by striking ``on
retaliation'' and inserting ``against retaliation'';
(D) in subclause (II), as so redesignated, by striking the
period at the end and inserting the following: ``,
including--
``(aa) the means by which employees may seek review of any
allegation of reprisal, including the roles of the Office of
the Inspector General, the Office of Special Counsel, the
Merit Systems Protection Board, and any other relevant
entities; and
``(bb) general information about the timeliness of such
cases, the availability of any alternative dispute
mechanisms, and avenues for potential relief.''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following:
``(ii) assist the Inspector General in promoting the timely
and appropriate handling and consideration of protected
disclosures and allegations of reprisal, to the extent
practicable, by the Inspector General; and
``(iii) assist the Inspector General in facilitating
communication and coordination with the Special Counsel, the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency, the establishment, Congress, and any other
relevant entity regarding the timely and appropriate handling
and consideration of protected disclosures, allegations of
reprisal, and general matters regarding the implementation
and administration of whistleblower protection laws, rules,
and regulations.'';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Ombudsman'' and
inserting ``Coordinator'';
(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
[[Page H4871]]
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) The Whistleblower Protection Coordinator shall have
direct access to the Inspector General as needed to
accomplish the requirements of this subsection.''.
(b) Responsibilities of CIGIE.--Section 11(c) of the
Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(5) Additional responsibilities relating to whistleblower
protection.--The Council shall--
``(A) facilitate the work of the Whistleblower Protection
Coordinators designated under section 3(d)(C); and
``(B) in consultation with the Office of Special Counsel
and Whistleblower Protection Coordinators from the member
offices of the Inspector General, develop best practices for
coordination and communication in promoting the timely and
appropriate handling and consideration of protected
disclosures, allegations of reprisal, and general matters
regarding the implementation and administration of
whistleblower protection laws, in accordance with Federal
law.''.
(c) Reporting.--Section 5 of the Inspector General Act of
1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (20) to read
as follows:
``(20)(A) a detailed description of any instance of
whistleblower retaliation, including information about the
official found to have engaged in retaliation; and
``(B) what, if any, consequences the establishment actually
imposed to hold the official described in subparagraph (A)
accountable;''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (3)(D), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) whether the establishment entered into a settlement
agreement with the official described in subsection
(a)(20)(A), which shall be reported regardless of any
confidentiality agreement relating to the settlement
agreement; and''.
(d) Repeal of Sunset.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (c) of section 117 of the
Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 (Public Law
112-199; 126 Stat. 1475) is repealed.
(2) Retroactive effective date.--The amendment made by
paragraph (1) shall take effect on November 26, 2017.
The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third
time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________