[115th Congress Public Law 192]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 1501]]
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION COORDINATION ACT
[[Page 132 STAT. 1502]]
Public Law 115-192
115th Congress
An Act
To reauthorize and rename the position of Whistleblower Ombudsman to be
the Whistleblower Protection Coordinator. <<NOTE: June 25, 2018 - [S.
1869]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Whistleblower
Protection Coordination Act. 5 USC app. 1 note.>>
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
[[Page 132 STAT. 1503]]
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
(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) <<NOTE: Consultation.>> 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.
[[Page 132 STAT. 1504]]
(2) <<NOTE: 5 USC app. 3 note.>> Retroactive effective
date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect on
November 26, 2017.
Approved June 25, 2018.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1869 (H.R. 4043):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-510 (Comm. on Oversight and Government Reform)
accompanying H.R. 4043.
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115-196 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
Mar. 15, considered and passed Senate.
June 7, considered and passed House.
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