1.Short title; table of contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Whistleblower Protection
Enhancement Act of 2011
.
(b)The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Title I—Protection of certain disclosures of information by
Federal employees
Sec. 101. Clarification of disclosures covered.
Sec. 102. Disclosure defined.
Sec. 103. Rebuttable presumption.
Sec. 104. Personnel actions and prohibited personnel
practices.
Sec. 105. Exclusion of agencies by the President.
Sec. 106. Disciplinary action.
Sec. 107. Remedies.
Sec. 108. Judicial review.
Sec. 109. Prohibited personnel practices affecting the
Transportation Security Administration.
Sec. 110. Disclosure of censorship related to research,
analysis, or technical information.
Sec. 111. Clarification of whistleblower rights for critical
infrastructure information.
Sec. 112. Advising employees of rights.
Sec. 113. Special Counsel amicus curiae appearance.
Sec. 114. Scope of due process.
Sec. 115. Nondisclosure policies, forms, and
agreements.
Sec. 116. Reporting requirements.
Sec. 117. Alternative review.
Sec. 118. Merit Systems Protection Board summary
judgment.
Sec. 119. Disclosures of classified information.
Sec. 120. Whistleblower protection ombudsman.
Sec. 121. Pilot program for enhancement of contractor employee
whistleblower protections.
Title II—Intelligence community whistleblower
protections
Sec. 201. Protection of intelligence community
whistleblowers.
Sec. 202. Review of security clearance or access
determinations.
Sec. 203. Revisions relating to the Intelligence Community
Whistleblower Protection Act.
Sec. 204. Regulations; reporting requirements; nonapplicability
to certain terminations.
Title III—Effective date; savings provision
Sec. 301. Effective date.
Sec. 302. Savings provision.
<enum>I</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Protection of certain disclosures of
information by Federal employees</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFE8957BA79E9432C9F4477F35709F5AB" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>101.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Clarification of disclosures
covered</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD7A863157E9744C1AE4572FC4C7D0D17"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 2302(b)(8) of title 5, United
States Code, is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5C0808C1011D46D7BF3D33123DFAB9F0"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking
<quote>a violation</quote> and inserting <quote>any violation</quote>;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDF1DF9F9D1D643C5AC96478683D73B48"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (B)(i)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HBB3F2A3A007849DDA2B4A2087C5E28F9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>a violation</quote> and inserting <quote>any violation</quote>;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA0F9A04A79E44D37B3ED022EFFC60C2C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>regulation,</quote> and inserting <quote>regulation (other than this
section or any rule or regulation prescribed under this
section)</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE42B777FDED1494E9A9A0A99DC3AB068"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prohibited personnel practices under
section 2302<enum-in-header>(b)</enum-in-header>(9)</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1E145D55E45845B9A9E460F6701AE9BA"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Technical and conforming
amendments</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Title 5, United
States Code, is amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="H0B32DE879F2B4B4E86E4693F5CDEAA5D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsections
(a)(3), (b)(4)(A), and (b)(4)(B)(i) of section 1214 and subsections (a),
(e)(1), and (i) of section 1221, by inserting <quote>or subparagraph (A)(i),
(B), (C), or (D) of section 2302(b)(9)</quote> after <quote>section
2302(b)(8)</quote> each place it appears; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBB655B0E57044BA08D439EFCD1C4DF12"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in section
2302(a)(2)(C)(i), by inserting <quote>or subsection (b)(9) (other than
subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof)</quote> after <quote>(b)(8)</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H76DE0A5F8EF246C6A120BF09FF0D1EAF"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Other references</header><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HA66906765F794F99B0ACA29E6239F121"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Title 5, United States Code, is amended, in
sections 1214(b)(4)(B)(i) and 1221(e), by inserting <quote>or protected
activity</quote> after <quote>disclosure</quote> each place it appears.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAA85D362F46D49B59E4A6E932806F81D" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subparagraph (A) of section 2302(b)(9) of
title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H63970FFE1E8F42B2BF02D9145C171613" style="OLC">
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H29012CD2511C4647B1D08EC3C2366960"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the exercise of any appeal, complaint, or
grievance right granted by any law, rule, or regulation—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H352634289FB04FEDA6DAC6CDC34FC510"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">with regard to remedying a violation of
paragraph (8) or any rule or regulation prescribed under such paragraph;
or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H940BDB3081EB4782A2C4FE14113E09FF"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">with regard to remedying a violation of any
law, rule, or regulation not described in clause
(i);</text>
</clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3F6906CB141D4173BA64D4CC31B535CD" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 2302 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5CF81A4656DE4DE88AC22CBA24DD12C8" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6A97776186EE4779A24A216713FB5817"><enum>(f)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H07B792233BB14A59AAEAFC4D53D01AFE"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A disclosure shall not be excluded from
subsection (b)(8) because—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H22CE1EFCD1734D7882F4772FBB499395" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure was made to a person,
including a supervisor, who participated in an activity that the employee or
applicant reasonably believed to be covered by subsection (b)(8)(A)(ii);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H593340325BB74F22A8EDA592B2A296C1" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure revealed information that
had been previously disclosed;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1E674551EADD47A4A8E1AF5C440744FA" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">of the employee's or applicant's motive for
making the disclosure;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3F56BE73A7DD4574B02100182F6C2ADB" indent="up1"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure was not made in
writing;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4E3FAA8BD21E4C138F26DB93C8115780" indent="up1"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure was made while the employee
was off duty; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEA37241233834EE68C4858DA8BC6E004" indent="up1"><enum>(F)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">of the amount of time which has passed
since the occurrence of the events described in the disclosure.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8741EAF97A82455BBA49507E6A25F1BB" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a disclosure is made during the normal
course of duties of an employee, the disclosure shall not be excluded from
subsection (b)(8) if any employee who has authority to take, direct others to
take, recommend, or approve any personnel action with respect to the employee
making the disclosure, took, failed to take, or threatened to take or fail to
take a personnel action with respect to that employee in reprisal for the
disclosure.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB2DB0C3D666E4D4AAC52C84AFB0F932A" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>102.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Disclosure defined</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 2302(a)(2) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H40DD08170C884F63960673446AB9835A"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking
<quote>and</quote> at the end;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3201A6551035409E9605C0B04FA03EA4"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (C)(iii), by striking the
period at the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1BF9692C3DC34811870139CFCA67881A"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD041588FD8264ED69A79D9E6E1AE6A42" style="OLC">
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA08BC48035234292BBFF85FC8E46761B" indent="up1"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline"><term>disclosure</term> means a formal or
informal communication or transmission, but does not include a communication
concerning policy decisions that lawfully exercise discretionary authority,
unless the employee or applicant providing the disclosure reasonably believes
that the disclosure evidences—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H64E5635FDB01477C809336A8F3AD89E9"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any violation of any law, rule, or
regulation, and occurs during the conscientious carrying out of official
duties; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H328C38CF30204370A15852BE4A90CEEE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">gross mismanagement, a gross waste of
funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public
health or
safety.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBDE7E9CE4ABB48E79ADAD5F7F2AFBF30" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>103.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Rebuttable presumption</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 2302(b) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by amending the matter following paragraph (12) to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBCC71AFDCAC642C391FB9AB465418CDD" style="OLC">
<quoted-block-continuation-text commented="no" quoted-block-continuation-text-level="subsection">This subsection shall not be
construed to authorize the withholding of information from Congress or the
taking of any personnel action against an employee who discloses information to
Congress. For purposes of paragraph (8), any presumption relating to the
performance of a duty by an employee whose conduct is the subject of a
protected disclosure under this section may be rebutted by substantial
evidence. For purposes of paragraph (8), a determination as to whether an
employee or applicant reasonably believes that such employee or applicant has
disclosed information that evidences any violation of law, rule, regulation,
gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a
substantial and specific danger to public health or safety shall be made by
determining whether a disinterested observer with knowledge of the essential
facts known to or readily ascertainable by the employee could reasonably
conclude that the actions of the Government evidence such a violation,
mismanagement, waste, abuse, or
danger.</quoted-block-continuation-text><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1FAA45030131468D9E86F217A6D6CA41" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>104.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Personnel actions and prohibited personnel
practices</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0C5D8A415200405280238E8A2775A87F"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Personnel action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 2302(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United
States Code, is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4C85A89F94CB445A9FC470FA4E955C97"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in clause (x), by striking
<quote>and</quote> after the semicolon;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEDA2ADBCF19F45D0A1A7EA2BB960798F"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating clause (xi) as clause
(xii); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDB8401FDA53949D8A6B46D825429B14B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after
clause (x) the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6D0E3FE861044C40B65983A15AF2FD55" style="OLC">
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H71B47F2B9989447B9A87444B216B9A89" indent="up1"><enum>(xi)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the implementation or enforcement of any
nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement that does not contain the statement
required under subsection (b)(13);
and</text>
</clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6969326065C9452AA313C70C7C02D7DD"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prohibited personnel practice</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF1F1DE0649194D1585B39ACDBF1F8AA9"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 2302(b) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6F5FE330AB794EC687765F2A7E231201"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (11), by striking
<quote>or</quote> at the end;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H14CA69DF704344249042A14995171EC3"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (12), by striking the period
and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDC34A58B06AA48938F82368E2F095D7E"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after paragraph (12) the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBB2E22799D4044918706F3D96572FEB2" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAFA8E63DA8F84A6182B39804FC131837"><enum>(13)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">implement or enforce any nondisclosure
policy, form, or agreement, if such policy, form, or agreement does not contain
the following statement: <quote>These provisions are consistent with and do not
supersede, conflict with, or otherwise alter the employee obligations, rights,
or liabilities created by Executive Order 13526 (75 Fed. Reg. 707, relating to
classified national security information), or any successor thereto; Executive
Order 12968 (60 Fed. Reg. 40245, relating to access to classified information),
or any successor thereto; section 7211 (governing disclosures to Congress);
section 1034 of title 10 (governing disclosure to Congress by members of the
military); subsection (b)(8) (governing disclosures of illegality, waste,
fraud, abuse, or public health or safety threats); the Intelligence Identities
Protection Act of 1982 (50 U.S.C. 421 et seq., governing disclosures that could
expose confidential Government agents); and the statutes which protect against
disclosures that could compromise national security, including sections 641,
793, 794, 798, and 952 of title 18 and section 4(b) of the Subversive
Activities Control Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 783(b)). The definitions,
requirements, obligations, rights, sanctions, and liabilities created by such
Executive orders and such statutory provisions are incorporated into this
agreement and are controlling.</quote>.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.
</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCB8E77A575B848FBA8BE1565E8B3D30E"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement in
effect before the date of enactment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement
that was in effect before the effective date of this Act, but that does not
contain the statement required under section 2302(b)(13) of title 5, United
States Code (as added by paragraph (1)(C)) for implementation or
enforcement—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC3FD4969FA634A43A240175F8E66B79E"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">may be enforced with regard to a current
employee if the employing agency gives such employee notice of the statement
before the employee makes the disclosure with respect to which the enforcement
relates; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCE60D8DA447E4DF391BABA6B426DA743"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">may continue to be enforced after the
effective date of this Act with regard to a former employee if the agency posts
notice of the statement on the agency website for the 1-year period following
that effective date, except that such notice shall not be required as a
condition for continued enforcement if the condition under subparagraph (A) has
been satisfied with respect to such former employee.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB107B5661226461DA2E1A9C885C49C61"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Retaliatory investigations</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1471E8F062B84E87B6B4AA655ACB32A7"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Agency investigation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1214 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H11959F0F32C0408EB9755E3982F68310" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE6381CC5ACE74CC3B3B75C23EF98466E"><enum>(h)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any corrective action ordered under this
section to correct a prohibited personnel practice may include fees, costs, or
damages reasonably incurred due to an agency investigation of the employee, if
such investigation was commenced, expanded, or extended in retaliation for the
disclosure or protected activity that formed the basis of the corrective
action.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9FD4B4D5845A486B8CF9DCCC70A20400"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Damages</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1221(g) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5A33AE894D494564AF70F8FF5170393A" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H93F046100F14490A892185D40B4FED28" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any corrective action ordered under this
section to correct a prohibited personnel practice may include fees, costs, or
damages reasonably incurred due to an agency investigation of the employee, if
such investigation was commenced, expanded, or extended in retaliation for the
disclosure or protected activity that formed the basis of the corrective
action.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H364B6A0BA27648C08D415141B4674EC3" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>105.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Exclusion of agencies by the
President</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
2302(a)(2)(C) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking clause
(ii) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H51A2E9E6F31B41239C39D0923EB8785A" style="OLC">
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6677A9C61DF846DDB226F6F7CDEAD31E"><enum>(ii)</enum><subclause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H5C1EAB4A6D7442C388900CB255EAF910"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the
Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Office of the
Director of National Intelligence, and the National Reconnaissance Office;
and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2E636CDDC1E44641B72D51256463B2C7" indent="up1"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">as determined by the President, any
Executive agency or unit thereof the principal function of which is the conduct
of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities, provided that the
determination be made prior to the personnel action involved;
or</text>
</subclause></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5970097187C54DC98DE52CA59AE72364" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>106.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Disciplinary action</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 1215(a)(3) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H893C300B9B724FF9B2EB650EE6931095" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF5E72BEE00584156A83A070827F73085" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H257D04336CE34098855C30D006F85DAF"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A final order of the Board may
impose—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H981A467FF40040E18A59FAC878767067" indent="up1"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">disciplinary action consisting of removal,
reduction in grade, debarment from Federal employment for a period not to
exceed 5 years, suspension, or reprimand;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H610E5396035B4BC4BEBD34E4A3A38BBE" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an assessment of a civil penalty not to
exceed $1,000; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCFA972A54A9249F18AED036797E0EB79" indent="up1"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any combination of disciplinary actions
described under clause (i) and an assessment described under clause
(ii).</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFB0B14A344DF46AAA0D2EEF26E4FB716" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any case brought under paragraph (1) in
which the Board finds that an employee has committed a prohibited personnel
practice under section 2302(b)(8), or subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), or (D) of
section 2302(b)(9), the Board may impose disciplinary action if the Board finds
that the activity protected under section 2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i),
(B), (C), or (D) of section 2302(b)(9) was a significant motivating factor,
even if other factors also motivated the decision, for the employee's decision
to take, fail to take, or threaten to take or fail to take a personnel action,
unless that employee demonstrates, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the
employee would have taken, failed to take, or threatened to take or fail to
take the same personnel action, in the absence of such protected
activity.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H04C6D757637147E996DD7F4E40E2C3ED" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>107.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Remedies</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H351C4680F40A4AA4B758EBDD57D80434"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Attorney fees</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1204(m)(1) of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by striking <quote>agency involved</quote> and
inserting <quote>agency in which the prevailing party was employed or with
which the prevailing party had applied for employment at the time of the events
giving rise to the case</quote>.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF015C7D0EF9F4513868BA2EA26FB8FC6"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Damages</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Sections 1214(g)(2) and 1221(g)(1)(A)(ii)
of title 5, United States Code, are amended by striking all after <quote>travel
expenses,</quote> and inserting <quote>any other reasonable and foreseeable
consequential damages, and compensatory damages (including interest, reasonable
expert witness fees, and costs).</quote> each place it appears.</text>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF7CAF1D5441D45E4A1941E6A4825AC98" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>108.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Judicial review</header>
<subsection id="HDCA3735EB5D24C61BD8C62CE8A2B21B0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 7703(b)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is
amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HF5A6C7E4F21C467FA65BF3987654F208"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection,</quote>
and inserting <quote>(b)(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) or
paragraph (2),</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HBD3A7AA2C60C4FC7803A6858D49A3C54"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H518BC568F1D145B88FB0E170842ABAB6" style="USC">
<subparagraph commented="no" id="HAAD50149986046229EC40D35DBCB7AB3" indent="up2"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A
petition to review a final order or final decision of the Board that raises no
challenge to the Board’s disposition of allegations of a prohibited personnel
practice described in section 2302(b) other than practices described in section
2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), or (D) of section 2302(b)(9) shall
be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any petition for review
under this subparagraph must be filed within 60 days after the date the
petitioner received notice of the final order or decision of the
Board.</text>
</subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HEC43A051DBC346A991D148034AA231B9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Review obtained
by Office of Personnel Management</header><text>Section 7703(d) of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by inserting <quote>or the United States Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit</quote> after <quote>the United
States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit</quote>.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HF6F2AA2F89914E20A15D2F2793EF45F6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect
to any final order or decision rendered on or after the effective date of this
Act.</text>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEC1E4043E3584399A836C3059FDF18A0" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>109.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prohibited personnel practices affecting
the Transportation Security Administration</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H41E6D19DD9B54E4A8375EFBB602EFD78"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Chapter 23 of title 5, United States Code,
is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9AC25044D4A843689C06BCFA46A29A00"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating sections 2304 and 2305 as
sections 2305 and 2306, respectively; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8CEA08C6E41F4B00A59C0E724827D407"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after section 2303 the
following:</text>
<quoted-block act-name="" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6E9EF86EEB534EA693C557E042D25118" style="USC">
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H377048AE1FC34EA9A20865109721CA91" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>2304.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prohibited personnel practices affecting
the Transportation Security Administration</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H94F1DD486E0B426EADFE40DB4C52914D"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
any individual holding or applying for a position within the Transportation
Security Administration shall be covered by—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC41D9A6860A24327B2D3CFB338C5C995"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the provisions of paragraph (1), (8), or
(9) of section 2302(b);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD4FF398FD7654092875584F4F455D1CD"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any provision of law implementing paragraph
(1), (8), or (9) of section 2302(b) by making any right or remedy available to
an employee or applicant for employment in the civil service; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1ECC8DE532F64A1884D497578D973A12"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any rule or regulation prescribed under any
provision of law referred to in paragraph (1) or (2).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC8002A20261B48D5BF3E23CF511DCB26"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Rule of construction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this section shall be construed
to affect any rights, apart from those described in subsection (a), to which an
individual described in subsection (a) might otherwise be entitled under
law.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB49616009B2E48EF9C9C0784BA1BAA87"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Clerical amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of sections for chapter 23 of
title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking the items relating to
sections 2304 and 2305, respectively, and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCBEF0283A2BA49D7B6450F3AD3721520" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">2304. Prohibited personnel
practices affecting the Transportation Security Administration.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">2305. Responsibility of the
Government Accountability Office.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">2306. Coordination with certain
other provisions of
law.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFD3CFFD0886340A3B1867FAC893441DF"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Effective
date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendments made by
this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act.</text>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H46CFE6676E964D73AA4CF51AA817FF3B" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>110.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Disclosure of censorship related to
research, analysis, or technical information</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6335E78AD4AE4E5A8088DDCD1438B18B"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Definitions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this subsection—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0C16117182724C6584E27D2055ED570C"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>agency</term> has the
meaning given such term under section 2302(a)(2)(C) of title 5, United States
Code;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2DA89D13563C47B5B607970310FBEA89"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>applicant</term> means an
applicant for a covered position;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCF5D4EF32C4B4DBA98E49F8CC3ED075D"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>censorship related to
research, analysis, or technical information</term> means any effort to
distort, misrepresent, or suppress research, analysis, or technical
information;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9A0ABE9B03A144278B2811CFFAD414B7"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>covered position</term> has
the meaning given such term under section 2302(a)(2)(B) of title 5, United
States Code;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF7E3F2AB4ABE406393295C53CBF420C5"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>employee</term> means an
employee in a covered position in an agency; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFBFE38242FE14E8E8E1ECE50C92DFFA3"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>disclosure</term> has the
meaning given such term under section 2302(a)(2)(D) of title 5, United States
Code (as amended by section 102(3)).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H601BA76702D047778AA0315F0694D305"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Protected disclosure</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAC1F255890A5445AAB95BFECCE093E89"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any disclosure of information by an
employee or applicant for employment that the employee or applicant reasonably
believes is evidence of censorship related to research, analysis, or technical
information—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H522C4BA5EE674A04B6C48535A4505076"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">shall come within the protections of
section 2302(b)(8)(A) of title 5, United States Code, if—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H44623778D7994438A8CF80961AB1E2F0"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the employee or applicant reasonably
believes that such censorship is or will cause—</text>
<subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7D6800CC4B7A40EA8FE6773AE989D995"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any violation of law, rule, or regulation,
and occurs during the conscientious carrying out of official duties; or</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC06921F6F8EA4B11AEA6B0DDD53A4D8D"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">gross mismanagement, a gross waste of
funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public
health or safety; and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0549A1B3F2EA4200922D22D615B71FDA"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">such disclosure is not specifically
prohibited by law or such information is not specifically required by Executive
order to be kept classified in the interest of national defense or the conduct
of foreign affairs; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC53685D2C01D48EB87E89F3FA1719D44"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">shall come within the protections of
section 2302(b)(8)(B) of title 5, United States Code, if—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4561CFED3BA74CC1A53711034F3BE6B7"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the employee or applicant reasonably
believes that such censorship is or will cause—</text>
<subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB9264C4D0555491FB2539FD9FD76DB56"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any violation of law, rule, or regulation,
and occurs during the conscientious carrying out of official duties; or</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H36BA3B0E600E48FA9B5AB011E606D04B"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">gross mismanagement, a gross waste of
funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public
health or safety; and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H32C90CF0C2F1478780877E48B55BE4AD"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure is made to the Special
Counsel, or to the Inspector General of an agency or another person designated
by the head of the agency to receive such disclosures, consistent with the
protection of sources and methods.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3AA8FB01767E4926A912EC69D089AFF9"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Disclosures not excluded</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A disclosure shall not be excluded from
paragraph (1) for any reason described under paragraph (1) or (2) of section
2302(f) of title 5, United States Code (as amended by section
101(b)(2)(C)).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H418A26D89D7240A1AD14948E5A301BE7"><enum>(3)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Rule of construction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this section shall be construed
to imply any limitation on the protections of employees and applicants afforded
by any other provision of law, including protections with respect to any
disclosure of information believed to be evidence of censorship related to
research, analysis, or technical information.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4E0467990EB14090806ED54D88C0AA1F" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>111.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Clarification of whistleblower rights for
critical infrastructure information</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 214(c) of the Homeland Security Act
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 133(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
<quote>For purposes of this section, a permissible use of independently
obtained information includes the disclosure of such information under section
2302(b)(8) of title 5, United States Code.</quote>.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H739947124907429FB0FD6C1EC4863608" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>112.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Advising employees of rights</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 2302(c) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by inserting <quote>, including how to make a lawful
disclosure of information that is specifically required by law or Executive
order to be kept classified in the interest of national defense or the conduct
of foreign affairs to the Special Counsel, the Inspector General of an agency,
Congress, or other agency employee designated to receive such a
disclosure</quote> after <quote>chapter 12 of this title</quote>.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE15C91A863584A029511FE8CCDDA9962" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>113.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Special Counsel amicus curiae
appearance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 1212 of
title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9D32EDCDDEC34498980F6E1D99EB0EC2" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC13174AC647847DC987DE794932039F1"><enum>(h)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HEFED98E172E0406FB931886A7256C614"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Special Counsel may appear as amicus
curiae in any action brought in a court of the United States related to any
civil action brought in connection with paragraph (8) or (9) of section
2302(b), or as otherwise authorized by law. In any such action, the Special
Counsel may present the views of the Special Counsel with respect to compliance
with the provisions of paragraph (8) or (9) of section 2302(b) and the impact
court decisions would have on the enforcement of such provisions.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H528C08546A264EBBBEB9DA32A4FCBD43" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A
court of the United States shall grant the application of the Special Counsel
to appear in any such action for the purposes described under subsection
(a).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1B04809A56B7478DA634CFB877C9099C" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>114.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Scope of due process</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H399F06BD7A124C00AEA49BF86E0D59A1"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Special counsel</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1214(b)(4)(B)(ii) of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by inserting <quote>, after a finding by the
Board that a protected disclosure was a contributing factor,</quote> after
<quote>ordered if</quote>.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H974E98EF5A964ED9A7136D4B06113D9A"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Individual action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1221(e)(2) of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by inserting <quote>, after a finding that a protected
disclosure was a contributing factor,</quote> after <quote>ordered
if</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H22B13193DF724251972A84171A328571" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>115.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nondisclosure policies, forms, and
agreements</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD571F9316BF54B69A4B0C53C81878BCC"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H60E9A6AC621347E48095181963DFBE47"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Requirement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each agreement in Standard Forms 312 and
4414 of the Government and any other nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement
of the Government shall contain the following statement: <quote>These
restrictions are consistent with and do not supersede, conflict with, or
otherwise alter the employee obligations, rights, or liabilities created by
Executive Order 13526 (75 Fed. Reg. 707, relating to classified national
security information), or any successor thereto; Executive Order 12968 (60 Fed.
Reg. 40245, relating to access to classified information), or any successor
thereto; section 7211 of title 5, United States Code (governing disclosures to
Congress); section 1034 of title 10, United States Code (governing disclosure
to Congress by members of the military); section 2302(b)(8) of title 5, United
States Code (governing disclosures of illegality, waste, fraud, abuse, or
public health or safety threats); the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of
1982 (50 U.S.C. 421 et seq., governing disclosures that could expose
confidential Government agents); and the statutes which protect against
disclosure that may compromise the national security, including sections 641,
793, 794, 798, and 952 of title 18, United States Code, and section 4(b) of the
Subversive Activities Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 783(b)). The definitions,
requirements, obligations, rights, sanctions, and liabilities created by such
Executive orders and such statutory provisions are incorporated into this
agreement and are controlling.</quote>.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H90370305E34B4BA591A2C4E87897A716"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Enforceability</header>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBAE226F3E989436C9B2C585244593CD3"><enum>(A)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any nondisclosure policy, form, or
agreement described under paragraph (1) that does not contain the statement
required under paragraph (1) may not be implemented or enforced to the extent
such policy, form, or agreement is inconsistent with that statement.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2BE224E512474FD199BFB8FCE17D029D"><enum>(B)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement in
effect before the date of enactment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement
that was in effect before the date of enactment of this Act, but that does not
contain the statement required under paragraph (1)—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB5621EA7255041D78A692E61DD332C8F"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">may be enforced with regard to a current
employee if the agency gives such employee notice of the statement; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H088C4679AB944A219D61AC7F9B25B6BE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>may
continue to be enforced after the effective date of this Act with regard to a
former employee if the agency posts notice of the statement on the agency
website for the 1-year period following that effective date, except that such
notice shall not be required as a condition for continued enforcement if the
condition under clause (i) has been satisfied with respect to such former
employee.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H68A663B7418C4D4DB632EC5000B57AEB"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Persons other than Government
employees</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding
subsection (a), a nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement that is to be
executed by a person connected with the conduct of an intelligence or
intelligence-related activity, other than an employee or officer of the United
States Government, may contain provisions appropriate to the particular
activity for which such document is to be used. Such policy, form, or agreement
shall, at a minimum, require that the person will not disclose any classified
information received in the course of such activity unless specifically
authorized to do so by the United States Government. Such nondisclosure policy,
form, or agreement shall also make it clear that such forms do not bar
disclosures to Congress or to an authorized official of an Executive agency or
the Department of Justice to report a substantial violation of law, consistent
with the protection of sources and methods, pursuant to the requirements of
section 2302(b)(8) of title 5, United States Code.</text>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H84B7927BC50E4D07B12EE13740A9A182" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>116.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Reporting requirements</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1372A73566604D228FF6390C5B9818E9"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Government Accountability Office</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDC1FDF14EC664326811CDFCB0D0AF949"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 40 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives on
the implementation of this title.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H24E3D0BF72624CCDBF69BE048FB4926B"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Contents</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The report under this subsection shall
include—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA4B97911B9EF409A83694295C20D660F"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an analysis of any changes in the number of
cases filed with the Merit Systems Protection Board alleging violations of
paragraph (8) or (9) of section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code, since
the effective date of this Act;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1E7B252CB77B4B009EB8CE23CEBC0F07"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the outcome of the cases described under
subparagraph (A), including whether or not the Merit Systems Protection Board,
the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, or any other court determined the
allegations to be frivolous or malicious;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1F1B6F9CE437498895C9795185ED8103"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an analysis of the outcome of cases
described under subparagraph (A) that were decided by the United States Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the impact the process has
on the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Federal court system; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2BD0DA70E0B84F5990D7A57E84242039"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any other matter as determined by the
Comptroller General.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7B246EAB10A44BBFAD48F920E79E0B8E"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Merit Systems Protection Board</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H69BED4BC34A64FA591AA558A667C9BAE"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each report submitted by the Merit Systems
Protection Board under section 1116 of title 31, United States Code, shall,
with respect to the period covered by such report, include as an addendum the
following:</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H26162AB1EF82406BB1FBFB57F64C733B"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Information relating to the outcome of
cases decided during the applicable year of the report in which violations of
section 2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i), (B)(i), (C), or (D) of section
2302(b)(9) of title 5, United States Code, were alleged.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFDC2CD03DE7144C2A901AD68D5959220"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The number of such cases filed in the
regional and field offices, the number of petitions for review filed in such
cases, and the outcomes of such cases.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3B28BC7ECBD74D368C8E33E4276BB227"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">First report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The first report described under paragraph
(1) submitted after the date of enactment of this Act shall include an addendum
required under that paragraph that covers the period beginning on the first day
of the calendar year in which occurs the date of enactment of this Act and
ending on the last day of the fiscal year in which such date of enactment
occurs.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H87D6B61294F146968B18777A1902E17A" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>117.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Alternative review</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 1221 of title 5, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H74B00EFC778D4AE68FBDC2C23DF0CA6C" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAF305B46F49746B8AED4621EFCE665AB"><enum>(k)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HAB7E36552E954EC9B29507FC49C692C2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>For purposes of this
subsection, the term <term>appropriate United States district court</term>, as
used with respect to an alleged prohibited personnel practice, means the United
States district court for the judicial district in which—</text>
<subparagraph id="H1C52151E901540CF8B811F78AB5F1BD1" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>such prohibited personnel practice is
alleged to have been committed; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD888BCF44FD04C879468BA7099B95853" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the employee, former employee, or
applicant for employment allegedly affected by such prohibited personnel
practice resides.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4B197AC2C9EB4D258D3B49A7F03C195F" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An employee, former employee, or applicant
for employment in any case to which paragraph (4) or (5) applies may file an
action at law or equity for de novo review in the appropriate United States
district court.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBFFC230AF2AF4FEBAAE1E7FE66C42D2D" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Upon initiation of any action under
paragraph (2), the Board shall stay any other claims of such employee, former
employee, or applicant pending before the Board at that time which arise out of
the same set of operative facts. Such claims shall be stayed pending completion
of the action filed under paragraph (2) before the appropriate United States
district court.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFFCF9A4F608649258587405AFD38D7CA" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This paragraph applies in any case in
which—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3209F496F8814A2C904E6769338FB854"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an employee, former employee, or applicant
for employment—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H34CDF60981A24FDE973D817A7C3AA5D5"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">seeks corrective action from the Merit
Systems Protection Board under section 1221(a) based on an alleged prohibited
personnel practice, described in section 2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i),
(B), (C), or (D) of section 2302(b)(9), for which the associated personnel
action is an action covered under section 7512 or 7542; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3E940B3E7D554250808959E2E6D65874"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">files an appeal under section 7701(a)
alleging as an affirmative defense the commission of a prohibited personnel
practice, described in section 2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), or
(D) of section 2302(b)(9), for which the associated personnel action is an
action covered under section 7512 or 7542;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1CD30BEBD83944AB9268001BECE05DDA"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">no final order or decision is issued by the
Board within 270 days after the date on which a request for that corrective
action or appeal has been duly submitted, unless the Board determines that the
employee, former employee, or applicant for employment engaged in conduct
intended to delay the issuance of a final order or decision by the Board;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA93249E4D65D46FAB07484A72C5C81C2"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">such employee, former employee, or
applicant provides written notice to the Board of filing an action under this
subsection before the filing of that action.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1676102DCAB146479D837E24BF27F951" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This paragraph applies in any case in
which—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF706221550ED43A8B05D8719628D8489"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an employee, former employee, or applicant
for employment—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H35371A6F88024E53B6D9A77018F76FE2"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">seeks corrective action from the Merit
Systems Protection Board under section 1221(a) based on an alleged prohibited
personnel practice, described in section 2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i),
(B), (C), or (D) of section 2302(b)(9), for which the associated personnel
action is an action covered under section 7512 or 7542; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD603B819ABD44859932385FBF0C9D861"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">files an appeal under section 7701(a)(1)
alleging as an affirmative defense the commission of a prohibited personnel
practice, described in section 2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), or
(D) of section 2302(b)(9), for which the associated personnel action is an
action covered under section 7512 or 7542;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF3283C857D3E4E27B10C14224C81229D"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H110E7F06689E401F8D65CC0291EE53BF"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">within 30 days after the date on which the
request for corrective action or appeal was duly submitted, such employee,
former employee, or applicant for employment files a motion requesting a
certification consistent with subparagraph (C) to the Board or an
administrative law judge or other employee of the Board designated to hear the
case; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCA947ECE37BF44D9ACA8954A92E221A3" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">such employee has not previously filed a
motion under clause (i) related to that request for corrective action;
and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7D3F74D017964FEBA68FDCFEBD2E6753"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Board or an administrative law judge or
other employee of the Board designated to hear the case certifies that—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE7488DF558EA4E21924EBBA3DDA8F7B9"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">under standards applicable to the review of
motions to dismiss under rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,
including rule 12(d) thereof, the request for corrective action (including any
allegations made with the motion under subparagraph (B)) would not be subject
to dismissal; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3ADF0E1C1CC34C89A3653E9352F4B4B7"><enum>(ii)</enum><subclause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H65687E593784421CB1C472DBBDA8DA7A"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Board is not likely to dispose of the
case within 270 days after the date on which a request for that corrective
action has been duly submitted; or</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5FCDEE8C81A04A868A5F8BDEAF342E1E" indent="up1"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the case—</text>
<item commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB103A556669A496AA994D01C9561014D"><enum>(aa)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">consists of multiple claims;</text>
</item><item commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFEC02C7B7B79481397C7E50BC01BFC10"><enum>(bb)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">requires complex or extensive
discovery;</text>
</item><item commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0C047CE47CDA403CA68A594282607969"><enum>(cc)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">arises out of the same set of operative
facts as any civil action against the Government filed by the employee, former
employee, or applicant pending in a court of the United States; or</text>
</item><item commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H231E9C0C894F4480A9C0E99D2C3AD3EC"><enum>(dd)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">involves a question of law for which there
is no controlling precedent.</text>
</item></subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4304A5B0519344D49BA60323177CF59A" indent="up1"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Board shall grant or deny any motion
requesting a certification described under paragraph (5)(C)(ii) within 90 days
after the submission of such motion and the Board may not issue a decision on
the merits of a request for corrective action within 15 days after granting or
denying a motion requesting certification.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0ADACD5F6FF14B0EA6FECD22CED68168" indent="up1"><enum>(7)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H11D0A63E74BC4F998C0A2152EC9564DB"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any decision of the Board or an
administrative law judge or other employee of the Board designated to hear the
case to grant or deny a certification described under paragraph (5)(C)(ii)
shall be reviewed on appeal of a final order or decision of the Board under
section 7703 only if—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB89E14EBDFC54C66B6A0A2ABA242A4F0" indent="up1"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a motion requesting a certification was
denied; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3FEBD9E81B514DB8ABD9BA26DC965932" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the reviewing court vacates the decision of
the Board on the merits of the claim under the standards set forth in section
7703(c).</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1917CF58FCDE4A4198C7C1C29EADAD68" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The decision to deny the certification
shall be overturned by the reviewing court, and an order granting certification
shall be issued by the reviewing court, if such decision is found to be
arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1AB3E2E691C042BA902C9F4328DD4909" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The reviewing court's decision shall not be
considered evidence of any determination by the Board, any administrative law
judge appointed by the Board under section 3105, or any employee of the Board
designated by the Board on the merits of the underlying allegations during the
course of any action at law or equity for de novo review in the appropriate
United States district court in accordance with this subsection.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8E9A213ADFB44F57ADDEE3E2BA76739D" indent="up1"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any action filed under this
subsection—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2B5081E394EF46B7BFA3754FFFE35C06"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the appropriate United States district
court shall have jurisdiction without regard to the amount in
controversy;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5CDAED8F4D5D48F5BC37B57B5B198572"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the court—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H68FBF1998C804A8C93EC0B2DF654A6FF"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">subject to clause (iii), shall apply the
standards set forth in subsection (e); and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H498C7976FFAB45DF8FF9D03E4219D5B2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">may award any relief which the court
considers appropriate under subsection (g), except that—</text>
<subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8D7C915CF0944034A3A06D49F76261C0"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">relief for compensatory damages may not
exceed $300,000; and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDB023F02CE2641FA8F32E72B6693C5A7"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">relief may not include punitive damages;
and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC98181FD2FE14D5CB37ADA2072A6CC5B"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">notwithstanding subsection (e)(2), may not
order relief if the agency demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that
the agency would have taken the same personnel action in the absence of such
disclosure; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H17BFE3348BDE451F94464FC3AE75AE16"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Special Counsel may not represent the
employee, former employee, or applicant for employment.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H5DC772570DA44150B6BFB8C91D05B10B" indent="up1"><enum>(9)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A
petition to review a final order or final decision of a United States district
court under this subsection that raises no challenge to the district court’s
disposition of allegations of a prohibited personnel practice described in
section 2302(b) other than practices described in section 2302(b)(8) or
subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), or (D) of section 2302(b)(9) shall be filed in
the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. All
other petitions to review any final order or final decision of a United States
district court in an action brought under this subsection shall be filed in the
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, any petition for review under this paragraph must be
filed within 60 days after the date the petitioner received notice of the final
order or final decision of the United States district court.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H59569E13308F4A74BB9E49BFD721C3A4" indent="up1"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This subsection applies with respect to any
appeal, petition, or other request for corrective action duly submitted to the
Board, whether under section 1214(b)(2), the preceding provisions of this
section, section 7513(d), section 7701, or any otherwise applicable provision
of law, rule, or
regulation.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB5F39933CBC346EE89BBFC699E44D5F1" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>118.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Merit Systems Protection Board summary
judgment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 1204(b) of
title 5, United States Code, is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF9412108A9E9479E9B04DEFD295444BB"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph
(4);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC2230B73F6B5403EB4E049557EE1E534"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after paragraph (2) the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3D44305E9300461AB0D9DEA0051ACB62" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4E6F84CDB6AF477496A2414372482B7F" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">With respect to a request for corrective
action based on an alleged prohibited personnel practice described in section
2302(b)(8) or subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), or (D) of section 2302(b)(9) for
which the associated personnel action is an action covered under section 7512
or 7542, the Board, any administrative law judge appointed by the Board under
section 3105™, or any employee of the Board designated by the Board may, with
respect to any party, grant a motion for summary
judgment.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4E465A240DDB4E62B6A26CAF6ACEB572" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>119.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Disclosures of classified
information</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB46C62BCF4DE4987AB8698EC167080DC"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prohibited personnel
practices</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 2302(b)(8)
of title 5, United States Code, is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8CB81036090D4B749DA4E1E780A28FA5"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (A), by striking
<quote>or</quote> after the semicolon;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9F1FAB0634C34F87A58A01F09B79F1D0"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (B), by adding
<quote>or</quote> after the semicolon; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3308E1D6D96A4364AF6D4034CF0B5592"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7086BB8C23314B60B9B8070FEBE51603" style="OLC">
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF2C5CD2A48424C37AB18547C7169EEE0"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any communication that complies with
subsection (a)(1), (d), and (h) of section 8H of the Inspector General Act of
1978 (5 U.S.C.
App.);</text>
</subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H10F58A993A4F464D89C151A90CD32BAB"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Inspector General Act of 1978</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 8H of the Inspector General Act of
1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFA8F5E882DE2452295085CCCA3F8EDD9"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (a)(1), by adding at the end
the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H57947CC349A944158D44D0C48F05451C" style="OLC">
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7C25F0903EC94692AC9F74A3CB402CF5" indent="up2"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An employee of any agency, as that term is
defined under section 2302(a)(2)(C) of title 5, United States Code, who intends
to report to Congress a complaint or information with respect to an urgent
concern may report the complaint or information to the Inspector General (or
designee) of the agency of which that employee is
employed.</text>
</subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;
</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDA8B0779F97A420AB674EE5E85CE9B58"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (c), by striking
<quote>intelligence committees</quote> and inserting <quote>appropriate
committees</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1A556605CF654E33B52B7CD65713AAD3"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (d)—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE7FC21A3DE2740649C173A4BF13D6C89"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>either
or both of the intelligence committees</quote> and inserting <quote>any of the
appropriate committees</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H22D716EEF8C246348D1E06931E6B9A7B"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraphs (2) and (3), by striking
<quote>intelligence committees</quote> each place it appears and inserting
<quote>appropriate committees</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4E1ECB6C93AF445E85C95272B7664881"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (h)—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA26FA35C8FAF474A94C0DFFF1CEB8EDA"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (1)—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB43EDCD21ADD4D4F8334CF09EA6AB6F1"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (A), by striking
<quote>intelligence</quote>; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5A75A9441796462ABA48AF905979D68B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (B), by inserting <quote>or
an activity involving classified information</quote> after <quote>an
intelligence activity</quote>; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCA968C4BD5284EAAA66FB0B12BB04F07"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8A2F5DE542D24CD6A600FF84C232FE1B" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HECA901B010324D5CB8B1C8D72D498118"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>appropriate
committees</term> means the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the
House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the
Senate, except that, with respect to disclosures made by employees described in
subsection (a)(1)(D), the term <term>appropriate committees</term> means the
committees of appropriate
jurisdiction.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H59682A9FF1F44817B8BE2946ECB682D9" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>120.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Whistleblower protection ombudsman</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5BE47C4F7F3341C5B470FFB325A72C2A"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 3 of the Inspector General Act of
1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3D3BC5EB31AE4C4CB09D99B11A7BC4BE" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H78C4DC11C8EF4F7A81C0BC801CA3C9D4"><enum>(d)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H897E828CDB2D40A18B2925F19B3D7E01"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each Inspector General shall, in accordance
with applicable laws and regulations governing the civil service—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9A217C15F10D4EF18CFCEFB664B1BF48" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">appoint an Assistant Inspector General for
Auditing, who shall have the responsibility for supervising the performance of
auditing activities relating to programs and operations of the
establishment;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H91FC5277870544D188ADAA547484950C" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">appoint an Assistant Inspector General for
Investigations, who shall have the responsibility for supervising the
performance of investigative activities relating to such programs and
operations; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD4A2AA33D7A745AC86F71E5C17E5F7BE" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">designate a Whistleblower Protection
Ombudsman, who shall educate agency employees—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H409063AD4B664D81B414DD1C0C59E6BF"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">about prohibitions on retaliation for
protected disclosures; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB4ACDE45D7284E0DA6550D7607503D59"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">who have made or are contemplating making a
protected disclosure about the rights and remedies against retaliation for
protected disclosures.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA0B1F8BA729E49AB9BCAB1F8D0C74C5A" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Whistleblower Protection Ombudsman
shall not act as a legal representative, agent, or advocate of the employee or
former employee.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0C1AD82AEC764669AB532A418BF7D657" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">For the purposes of this section, the
requirement of the designation of a Whistleblower Protection Ombudsman under
paragraph (1)(C) shall not apply to—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H33627D3D0B194236AB4621B77A667C56"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any agency that is an element of the
intelligence community (as defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act
of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4))); or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3A8F9DA380D24EB8AC8F56B62CE21B84"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">as determined by the President, any
executive agency or unit thereof the principal function of which is the conduct
of foreign intelligence or counter intelligence
activities.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB7489CC115F840FB83831133DEF1DF79"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Technical and conforming
amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 8D(j) of
the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB5731D9A8CC9425B935514988AD59CF3"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>section 3(d)(1)</quote>
and inserting <quote>section 3(d)(1)(A)</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2CC1804ADDAC419DA02065F25D56D61F"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>section 3(d)(2)</quote>
and inserting <quote>section 3(d)(1)(B)</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H844EBB9456EA470DA94DF868799C09D8" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>121.</enum><header>Pilot program for
enhancement of contractor employee whistleblower protections</header>
<subsection id="HF63FE3388DA9448CB0E827BC013490FC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Pilot
program</header>
<paragraph id="HDD0196F588214C1B88D6820FE8CA471C"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Chapter 47 of title 41, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after section 4705 the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H45FF5B89125F483A90AE0A449EF15A52" style="USC">
<section id="H6BDCB5AF9EB74EC9A3E311E2F68B5069"><enum>4705a.</enum><header>Pilot program
for enhancement of protection of contractor employees from reprisal for
disclosure of certain information</header>
<subsection id="HD7235C8EE1694282AE875A6694DCB182"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section:</text>
<paragraph id="H7625A2C33B9A4BCBA0CC1BBDEF8BE478"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Contract</header><text>The
term <quote>contract</quote> means a contract awarded by the head of an
executive agency.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6B721287541B4EDFA1B709B53CA4B009"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Contractor</header><text>The
term <quote>contractor</quote> means a person awarded a contract or a grant
with an executive agency.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HAF2263C631434C9C9DAF5BF51872C50E"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Inspector
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term
<quote>Inspector General</quote> means an Inspector General appointed under the
Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) and any Inspector General that
receives funding from, or has oversight over contracts awarded for or on behalf
of, an executive agency.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H850D004B2F744A82A17A58596CB80BB3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibition of
reprisals</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An employee of a
contractor may not be discharged, demoted, or otherwise discriminated against
as a reprisal for disclosing to a Member of Congress, a representative of a
committee of Congress, an Inspector General, the Government Accountability
Office, an agency employee responsible for contract oversight or management, an
authorized official of an executive agency or the Department of Justice
information that the employee reasonably believes is evidence of gross
mismanagement of a contract or grant, a gross waste of agency funds, a
substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, or a violation of a
law related to a contract (including the competition for or negotiation of a
contract) or grant.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H34688E2C058641E1931964C55D1A286F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Investigation of
complaints</header>
<paragraph id="HB14CB3ABBC4F40BEB4A87C294EF7DD65"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Investigation</header><text>An
individual who believes that the individual has been subjected to a reprisal
prohibited by subsection (b) may submit a complaint to the Inspector General of
the executive agency. Unless the Inspector General determines that the
complaint is frivolous, the Inspector General shall investigate the complaint
and, on completion of the investigation, submit a report of the findings of the
investigation to the individual, the contractor concerned, and the head of the
agency. If the executive agency does not have an Inspector General, the duties
of the Inspector General under this section shall be performed by an official
designated by the head of the executive agency.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA5B64FE0993C4530A05C6CDC020FD8AC"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Deadline</header><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H663D9D2475FA4CC0B8E3472A7C5B80AE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Except as provided under
subparagraph (B), the Inspector General shall make a determination that a
complaint is frivolous or submit a report under paragraph (1) within 180 days
after receiving the complaint.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9CAFCE10FC604B05A3D7920B4AE8B61F" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>If the Inspector General is unable to
complete an investigation in time to submit a report within the 180-day period
specified in subparagraph (A) and the person submitting the complaint agrees to
an extension of time, the Inspector General shall submit a report under
paragraph (1) within such additional period of time as shall be agreed upon
between the Inspector General and the person submitting the complaint.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEF210519DF214E41A8B82779BF3FE737"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Remedy and
Enforcement Authority</header>
<paragraph id="HBD6D7299C2434F1FBD9B76625A1A4EEA"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Actions
contractor may be ordered to take</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 30 days after receiving an
Inspector General report pursuant to subsection (c), the head of the agency
concerned shall determine whether there is sufficient basis to conclude that
the contractor concerned has subjected the complainant to a reprisal prohibited
by subsection (b) and shall either issue an order denying relief or shall take
one or more of the following actions:</text>
<subparagraph id="HFC6778E405A646C4AE8E4F92CD18E367"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Abatement</header><text>Order
the contractor to take affirmative action to abate the reprisal.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H127E042258354A1E9ABEF453FA53F453"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Reinstatement</header><text>Order
the contractor to reinstate the individual to the position that the individual
held before the reprisal, together with the compensation (including back pay),
employment benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment that would
apply to the individual in that position if the reprisal had not been
taken.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HEBCE6B375CC347E6B74597E4F63E174F"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Payment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Order the contractor to pay the complainant
an amount equal to the aggregate amount of all costs and expenses (including
attorneys' fees and expert witnesses' fees) that the complainant reasonably
incurred for, or in connection with, bringing the complaint regarding the
reprisal, as determined by the head of the executive agency.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6933B3B934D9410E8BDA9930C41BFEDC"><enum>(2)</enum><header>De novo
action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the head of an
executive agency issues an order denying relief under paragraph (1) or has not
issued an order within 210 days after the submission of a complaint under
subsection (c), or in the case of an extension of time under paragraph
(c)(2)(B), not later than 30 days after the expiration of the extension of
time, and there is no showing that such delay is due to the bad faith of the
complainant, the complainant shall be deemed to have exhausted all
administrative remedies with respect to the complaint, and the complainant may
bring a de novo action at law or equity against the contractor to seek
compensatory damages and other relief available under this section in the
appropriate district court of the United States, which shall have jurisdiction
over such an action without regard to the amount in controversy. Such an action
shall, at the request of either party to the action, be tried by the court with
a jury.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H444612D54F9D42BB981032289CFE9EF2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Evidence</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An Inspector General determination and an
agency head order denying relief under paragraph (2) shall be admissible in
evidence in any de novo action at law or equity brought pursuant to this
subsection.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF601C19179444DDEA75C30B532F082A1"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Enforcement
order</header><text>When a contractor fails to comply with an order issued
under paragraph (1), the head of the executive agency shall file an action for
enforcement of the order in the United States district court for a district in
which the reprisal was found to have occurred. In an action brought under this
paragraph, the court may grant appropriate relief, including injunctive relief
and compensatory and exemplary damages.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1F5177EF94414EB0849631D9FB31AD33"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Review of
enforcement order</header><text>A person adversely affected or aggrieved by an
order issued under paragraph (1) may obtain review of the order's conformance
with this subsection, and regulations issued to carry out this section, in the
United States court of appeals for a circuit in which the reprisal is alleged
in the order to have occurred. A petition seeking review must be filed no more
than 60 days after the head of the agency issues the order. Review shall
conform to chapter 7 of title 5.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7E408D3136D544869C961F75B6209213"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Scope of
Section</header><text>This section does not—</text>
<paragraph id="H285DC796A4584F328D7B0FDA4315668A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>authorize the
discharge of, demotion of, or discrimination against an employee for a
disclosure other than a disclosure protected by subsection (b); or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0A5A3445AE4D4DB4AC468C626626CF7A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>modify or derogate
from a right or remedy otherwise available to the employee.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HBCEFA706C17F415A9587C3B7362898A0"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Duration of
section</header><text>This section shall be in effect for the two-year period
beginning on the date of the enactment of the Whistleblower Protection
Enhancement Act of
2011.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB7EC4AE8178741D59488AF233921FD7A"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 47 of
title 41, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating
to section 4705 the following new item:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H30E9BB01A59F48518864D55F3537B7BE" style="USC">
<toc regeneration="no-regeneration">
<toc-entry level="section">4705a. Pilot program for enhancement of
protection of contractor employees from reprisal for disclosure of certain
information.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8784802671A745D0AE1DC10D980D5F7B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Suspension of
effectiveness of section 4705 while pilot program in
effect</header><text>Section 4705 of title 41, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H01E4C3C9E35F4053BB20D7DF00582AE6" style="USC">
<subsection id="HC1740E5DFF5C4082B49CF401D689535C"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Two-Year
suspension of effectiveness while pilot program in effect</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">While section 4705a of this title is in
effect, this section shall not be in
effect.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="HB59F88E643E34FB1B4B5636D97C0CF25"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Government
Accountability Office study and report</header>
<paragraph id="H78B8E33E60304F0EB3704C5EB4E74AAD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Study</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall begin conducting a
study to evaluate the implementation of section 4705a of title 41, United
States Code, as added by subsection (a).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3B80BA78141C40958049F20EA9605460"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not
later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the
study required by paragraph (1), with such findings and recommendations as the
Comptroller General considers appropriate.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Intelligence community whistleblower
protections</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD98802E63E6646838E9E2EFF3DC023C7" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>201.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Protection of intelligence community
whistleblowers</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0E831A213DC0410093D674849C32F6EE"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Chapter 23 of title 5, United States Code,
is amended by inserting after section 2303 the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFC0286D75BA248789E661024939A03FD" style="USC">
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCB73F02F297E478FA6EC47015ACCB7A1" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>2303a.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prohibited personnel practices in the
intelligence community</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEFCD851C657A44A4AE302FFDB480A45C"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Definitions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H84DD48D321D2407F9831D512603A7C79"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>agency</term> means an
executive department or independent establishment, as defined under sections
101 and 104, that contains an intelligence community element, except the
Federal Bureau of Investigation;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H776B1414894A4659B09DA0C4633876E7"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>intelligence community
element</term>—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H837BCCD6EFBB4301A8991EC8CE01380F"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">means—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD65F8E7022434E6999A6DABB6FF71D68"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Central Intelligence Agency, the
Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the
National Security Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence,
and the National Reconnaissance Office; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1D915E788C0B4BA38AC67B82C3C3767E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any executive agency or unit thereof
determined by the President under section 2302(a)(2)(C)(ii) of title 5, United
States Code, to have as its principal function the conduct of foreign
intelligence or counterintelligence activities; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H59B4B422813240E6A8218C659EDBB1DB"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">does not include the Federal Bureau of
Investigation; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9EE3CECE4727447CA79F89B1B42F703C"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>personnel action</term>
means any action described in clauses (i) through (x) of section 2302(a)(2)(A)
with respect to an employee in a position in an intelligence community element
(other than a position of a confidential, policy-determining, policymaking, or
policy-advocating character).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H45FAE08F25D0418FAE5D50E16DFA8C56"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any employee of an agency who has authority
to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action,
shall not, with respect to such authority, take or fail to take a personnel
action with respect to any employee of an intelligence community element as a
reprisal for a disclosure of information by the employee to the Director of
National Intelligence (or an employee designated by the Director of National
Intelligence for such purpose), or to the head of the employing agency (or an
employee designated by the head of that agency for such purpose), which the
employee reasonably believes evidences—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1D02CCB8FB2844CF89E49CF20FABEB5D"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a violation of any law, rule, or
regulation, except for an alleged violation that occurs during the
conscientious carrying out of official duties; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9F9E644D0D6044C4AA4FF9E41E972684"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an
abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or
safety.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4C44C59D7F51477099451BC397661D50"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Enforcement</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The President shall provide for the
enforcement of this section in a manner consistent with applicable provisions
of sections 1214 and 1221.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H964C6B833E5B4D8EA169EECB4E90C57F"><enum>(d)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Existing rights preserved</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this section shall be construed
to—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9207D01607D341D7815F4BD328678F7F"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">preempt or preclude any employee, or
applicant for employment, at the Federal Bureau of Investigation from
exercising rights currently provided under any other law, rule, or regulation,
including section 2303;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H028995E1E553469F836C7566CFFA3A98"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">repeal section 2303; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9FD465AC171640F98A2C6AAAB304ACBC"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">provide the President or Director of
National Intelligence the authority to revise regulations related to section
2303, codified in part 27 of the Code of Federal
Regulations.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H61A83EBCDB5C427E8928D6EF244CC6C5"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Technical and conforming
amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of
sections for chapter 23 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 2303 the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H60A6C3CF80AF444B9F4D91684FF31F92" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">2303a. Prohibited personnel
practices in the intelligence
community.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H46A477A86ABA42FFB0746553733563D0" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>202.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Review of security clearance or access
determinations</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H40263E8506D64BDC8A158517623E5498"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 3001(b) of the Intelligence Reform
and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (50 U.S.C. 435b(b)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H88FA70E344994B08B89749944884EBD5"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking <quote>Not</quote> and inserting <quote>Except as otherwise provided,
not</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H18EC9A297A46438E8A3FD95819E47FDF"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (5), by striking
<quote>and</quote> after the semicolon;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2AFEFE8F52B3403FBFB67B01DAB80A52"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (6), by striking the period at
the end and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3902980DA4AD44BFB3545FEE0B3F99B3"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after paragraph (6) the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD6983CC66ED14787AAA3BAACA6A9B8A4" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H96B73AE2A7BA4883B0CF51837CDB0575"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2011—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB0C04F0E59AF4A438F374007BC81766E"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">developing policies and procedures that
permit, to the extent practicable, individuals who challenge in good faith a
determination to suspend or revoke a security clearance or access to classified
information to retain their government employment status while such challenge
is pending; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE61809F7208B47E2BCCC319D9C96AE68"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">developing and implementing uniform and
consistent policies and procedures to ensure proper protections during the
process for denying, suspending, or revoking a security clearance or access to
classified information, including the provision of a right to appeal such a
denial, suspension, or revocation, except that there shall be no appeal of an
agency’s suspension of a security clearance or access determination for
purposes of conducting an investigation, if that suspension lasts no longer
than 1 year or the head of the agency certifies that a longer suspension is
needed before a final decision on denial or revocation to prevent imminent harm
to the national security.</text>
</subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph" indent="left-margin">Any limitation period applicable to
an agency appeal under paragraph (7) shall be tolled until the head of the
agency (or in the case of any component of the Department of Defense, the
Secretary of Defense) determines, with the concurrence of the Director of
National Intelligence, that the policies and procedures described in paragraph
(7) have been established for the agency or the Director of National
Intelligence promulgates the policies and procedures under paragraph (7). The
policies and procedures for appeals developed under paragraph (7) shall be
comparable to the policies and procedures pertaining to prohibited personnel
practices defined under section 2302(b)(8) of title 5, United States Code, and
provide—</continuation-text><subparagraph id="LEXA-RepairidAD3C4E7718534BE2997B31DC2D12AC6F"><enum></enum><clause id="id84F6B00EA0BF442A9AE4AACCDB7A432B" indent="up2"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for an independent and impartial
fact-finder;</text>
</clause><clause id="idC31F6425C3BB4269B1C723017AEC3DC5" indent="up2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for notice and the opportunity to be heard,
including the opportunity to present relevant evidence, including witness
testimony;</text>
</clause><clause id="id8D1F402CF48645DD942068859AF9A962" indent="up2"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that the employee or former employee may be
represented by counsel;</text>
</clause><clause id="id1EC28A98EBAD4C47A3896A0F4401EF85" indent="up2"><enum>(iv)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that the employee or former employee has a
right to a decision based on the record developed during the appeal;</text>
</clause><clause id="id065CA44E091D4EE183DD0F1C042BD5FD" indent="up2"><enum>(v)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that not more than 180 days shall pass from
the filing of the appeal to the report of the impartial fact-finder to the
agency head or the designee of the agency head, unless—</text>
<subclause id="idC2A526FF170C48A59735B15C2DB3BB76"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the employee and the agency concerned agree
to an extension; or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id212FF94F3E9F4B6A867CD564D5BE8B54"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the impartial fact-finder determines in
writing that a greater period of time is required in the interest of fairness
or national security;</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="id478A969B25004213B54FA3B92F5CEE6C" indent="up2"><enum>(vi)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">for the use of information specifically
required by Executive order to be kept classified in the interest of national
defense or the conduct of foreign affairs in a manner consistent with the
interests of national security, including ex parte submissions if the agency
determines that the interests of national security so warrant; and</text>
</clause><clause id="id4DA2D98C74EF45CCB21B318943369C0A" indent="up2"><enum>(vii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that the employee or former employee shall
have no right to compel the production of information specifically required by
Executive order to be kept classified in the interest of national defense or
the conduct of foreign affairs, except evidence necessary to establish that the
employee made the disclosure or communication such employee alleges was
protected by subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of subsection
(j)(1).</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block></after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0E3B00A94E214E4E9505CEDEA85A7EA6"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Retaliatory revocation of security
clearances and access determinations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 3001 of the Intelligence Reform and
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (50 U.S.C. 435b) is amended by adding at the
end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H200186213A8F4B9CAF9A9F296CE2E66E" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H88105C906C7D4467AC37203E85527C35"><enum>(j)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Retaliatory revocation of security
clearances and access determinations</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFEA1F0E89FE840968DF8EBB70113C68B"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Agency personnel with authority over
personnel security clearance or access determinations shall not take or fail to
take, or threaten to take or fail to take, any action with respect to any
employee's security clearance or access determination because of—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3D26E67C64104EB3BE86B407ADAD834D"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any disclosure of information to the
Director of National Intelligence (or an employee designated by the Director of
National Intelligence for such purpose) or the head of the employing agency (or
employee designated by the head of that agency for such purpose) by an employee
that the employee reasonably believes evidences—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3061B7543B2941BE8EFC27CC97319C00"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a violation of any law, rule, or
regulation, and occurs during the conscientious carrying out of official
duties; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H03F78F776F6648908C79B45689A6A5B9"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">gross mismanagement, a gross waste of
funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public
health or safety;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HBEC6423123A5424AB1737C9AC0020DD1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any disclosure to the Inspector General of
an agency or another employee designated by the head of the agency to receive
such disclosures, of information which the employee reasonably believes
evidences—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB5E47EDE3B894686B26C0372C006E255"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a violation of any law, rule, or
regulation, and occurs during the conscientious carrying out of official
duties; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9148BCC5932B4AC2B4388A31CB2FFEB4"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">gross mismanagement, a gross waste of
funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public
health or safety;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3D61E2BAEF6B464E8D05FC500CD218AE"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any communication that complies
with—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE0E0AB683333489F89CDB4AD4E169B22"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">subsection (a)(1), (d), or (h) of section
8H of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.);</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H88589587695345B3AB839216C507388E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">subsection (d)(5) (A), (D), or (G) of
section 17 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. 403q);
or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD2F5C0B0914446D39C1BCD75291A9967"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">subsection (k)(5) (A), (D), or (G), of
section 103H of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 403–3h);</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF0AAFE998CAF4021B1976C8BCADB00C7"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the exercise of any appeal, complaint, or
grievance right granted by any law, rule, or regulation;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5F907BD30CF8480CBDCF9BD82B3A5D1D"><enum>(E)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">testifying for or otherwise lawfully
assisting any individual in the exercise of any right referred to in
subparagraph (D); or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7470FED2E6034FC7A45118C196378F98"><enum>(F)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">cooperating with or disclosing information
to the Inspector General of an agency, in accordance with applicable provisions
of law in connection with an audit, inspection, or investigation conducted by
the Inspector General,</text>
</subparagraph><continuation-text commented="no" continuation-text-level="paragraph">if the actions described under
subparagraphs (D) through (F) do not result in the employee or applicant
unlawfully disclosing information specifically required by Executive order to
be kept classified in the interest of national defense or the conduct of
foreign affairs.</continuation-text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5EFBC7E968264F4ABC7A6A86775A6C00"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Rule of construction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Consistent with the protection of sources
and methods, nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to authorize the
withholding of information from the Congress or the taking of any personnel
action against an employee who discloses information to the Congress.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF9BFE450BC68473D930EED29AE430A29"><enum>(3)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Disclosures</header>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA08BC88202F14E3FA2B867B898B376A5"><enum>(A)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A disclosure shall not be excluded from
paragraph (1) because—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2903178031B64A6A93DC37210D5B40D3"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure was made to a person,
including a supervisor, who participated in an activity that the employee
reasonably believed to be covered by paragraph (1)(A)(ii);</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4029BC208C754761BECB705D038C983C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure revealed information that
had been previously disclosed;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H91F8FD5E6953413BB9F8FF363CAE9753"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">of the employee's motive for making the
disclosure;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1A0EE70506D04222B9BD7388F1A33ACF"><enum>(iv)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure was not made in
writing;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA42879BAC9834EA395B1FCF55AF3F00F"><enum>(v)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the disclosure was made while the employee
was off duty; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9158CA85840D4654994662BA7BDA1043"><enum>(vi)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">of the amount of time which has passed
since the occurrence of the events described in the disclosure.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H87E0B855701748F59319540BD4A07EEC"><enum>(B)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Reprisals</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If a disclosure is made during the normal
course of duties of an employee, the disclosure shall not be excluded from
paragraph (1) if any employee who has authority to take, direct others to take,
recommend, or approve any personnel action with respect to the employee making
the disclosure, took, failed to take, or threatened to take or fail to take a
personnel action with respect to that employee in reprisal for the
disclosure.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2F25B6BE137D4D8BB2B8E4614B40D8FA"><enum>(4)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Agency adjudication</header>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC71C667AF6C24F04B4346AE4066587B5"><enum>(A)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Remedial procedure</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An employee or former employee who believes
that he or she has been subjected to a reprisal prohibited by paragraph (1) of
this subsection may, within 90 days after the issuance of notice of such
decision, appeal that decision within the agency of that employee or former
employee through proceedings authorized by paragraph (7) of subsection (a),
except that there shall be no appeal of an agency’s suspension of a security
clearance or access determination for purposes of conducting an investigation,
if that suspension lasts not longer than 1 year (or a longer period in
accordance with a certification made under subsection (b)(7)).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H75C34F520AC5407BBC501C4D613B9484"><enum>(B)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Corrective action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If, in the course of proceedings authorized
under subparagraph (A), it is determined that the adverse security clearance or
access determination violated paragraph (1) of this subsection, the agency
shall take specific corrective action to return the employee or former
employee, as nearly as practicable and reasonable, to the position such
employee or former employee would have held had the violation not occurred.
Such corrective action shall include reasonable attorney's fees and any other
reasonable costs incurred, and may include compensatory damages not to exceed
$300,000, back pay and related benefits, and travel expenses.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H63F5CAA982484BE4B019E7FFD2FF1632"><enum>(C)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Contributing factor</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In determining whether the adverse security
clearance or access determination violated paragraph (1) of this subsection,
the agency shall find that paragraph (1) of this subsection was violated if a
disclosure described in paragraph (1) was a contributing factor in the adverse
security clearance or access determination taken against the individual, unless
the agency demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that it would have
taken the same action in the absence of such disclosure, giving the utmost
deference to the agency's assessment of the particular threat to the national
security interests of the United States in the instant matter.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H40E9EC3632FA405386007E824652A3B0"><enum>(5)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Appellate review of security clearance
access determinations by Director of National Intelligence</header>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2EF398234ADD4F3C8163B05BC34C77E7"><enum>(A)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Definition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this paragraph, the term
<term>Board</term> means the appellate review board established under section
204 of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2011.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5B37395B853A492ABE44F31490333B17"><enum>(B)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Appeal</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Within 60 days after receiving notice of an
adverse final agency determination under a proceeding under paragraph (4), an
employee or former employee may appeal that determination to the Board.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD48CD6C52A874953A347B15792394C34"><enum>(C)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Policies and procedures</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Board, in consultation with the
Attorney General, Director of National Intelligence, and the Secretary of
Defense, shall develop and implement policies and procedures for adjudicating
the appeals authorized by subparagraph (B). The Director of National
Intelligence and Secretary of Defense shall jointly approve any rules,
regulations, or guidance issued by the Board concerning the procedures for the
use or handling of classified information.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H620A5FCF4ABA4A69A14431D7D19D8EA2"><enum>(D)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Review</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Board’s review shall be on the complete
agency record, which shall be made available to the Board. The Board may not
hear witnesses or admit additional evidence. Any portions of the record that
were submitted ex parte during the agency proceedings shall be submitted ex
parte to the Board.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H61439185133B46EFAF7F743710AA169F"><enum>(E)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Further fact-finding or improper
denial</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Board concludes
that further fact-finding is necessary or finds that the agency improperly
denied the employee or former employee the opportunity to present evidence
that, if admitted, would have a substantial likelihood of altering the outcome,
the Board shall remand the matter to the agency from which it originated for
additional proceedings in accordance with the rules of procedure issued by the
Board.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8E50DDA177B54A8C8C83B084A2440A94"><enum>(F)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">De novo determination</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Board shall make a de novo
determination, based on the entire record and under the standards specified in
paragraph (4), of whether the employee or former employee received an adverse
security clearance or access determination in violation of paragraph (1). In
considering the record, the Board may weigh the evidence, judge the credibility
of witnesses, and determine controverted questions of fact. In doing so, the
Board may consider the prior fact-finder’s opportunity to see and hear the
witnesses.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H87417761858B42F58B48A2C206FD0D09"><enum>(G)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Adverse security clearance or access
determination</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Board
finds that the adverse security clearance or access determination violated
paragraph (1), it shall then separately determine whether reinstating the
security clearance or access determination is clearly consistent with the
interests of national security, with any doubt resolved in favor of national
security, under Executive Order 12968 (60 Fed. Reg. 40245; relating to access
to classified information) or any successor thereto (including any adjudicative
guidelines promulgated under such orders) or any subsequent Executive order,
regulation, or policy concerning access to classified information.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC4428A27262E4848B4129E69B569227D"><enum>(H)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Remedies</header>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9B9F2F6690AE4D79A674C39B01117884"><enum>(i)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Corrective action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Board finds that the adverse
security clearance or access determination violated paragraph (1), it shall
order the agency head to take specific corrective action to return the employee
or former employee, as nearly as practicable and reasonable, to the position
such employee or former employee would have held had the violation not
occurred. Such corrective action shall include reasonable attorney's fees and
any other reasonable costs incurred, and may include compensatory damages not
to exceed $300,000 and back pay and related benefits. The Board may recommend,
but may not order, reinstatement or hiring of a former employee. The Board may
order that the former employee be treated as though the employee were
transferring from the most recent position held when seeking other positions
within the executive branch. Any corrective action shall not include the
reinstating of any security clearance or access determination. The agency head
shall take the actions so ordered within 90 days, unless the Director of
National Intelligence, the Secretary of Energy, or the Secretary of Defense, in
the case of any component of the Department of Defense, determines that doing
so would endanger national security.</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8B3AAB608D8A4F3EACF3D65A080F9AB6"><enum>(ii)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Recommended action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Board finds that reinstating the
employee or former employee's security clearance or access determination is
clearly consistent with the interests of national security, it shall recommend
such action to the head of the entity selected under subsection (b) and the
head of the affected agency.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAD3FEEF035C742E582F836B021ABFCE2"><enum>(I)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congressional Notification</header>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEA2F57EEC31149EBB913AEFBF5A0FF67"><enum>(i)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Orders</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Consistent with the protection of sources
and methods, at the time the Board issues an order, the Chairperson of the
Board shall notify—</text>
<subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC49DECA176984A9AA3ACF2E178C8B1F5"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on Homeland Security and
Government Affairs of the Senate;</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H835B255CE73440E795AF3A5583EF9863"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Select Committee on Intelligence of the
Senate;</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H91412401B85845A7A17815AF4E88E6A5"><enum>(III)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives;</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H545E4628DFED445FB200D4D1E975B9EA"><enum>(IV)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H507DBB37AB2545868359B27E2319649C"><enum>(V)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the committees of the Senate and the House
of Representatives that have jurisdiction over the employing agency, including
in the case of a final order or decision of the Defense Intelligence Agency,
the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, or
the National Reconnaissance Office, the Committee on Armed Services of the
Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H907A3011D6D74E19808D58A2BB8526FF"><enum>(ii)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Recommendations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the agency head and the head of the
entity selected under subsection (b) do not follow the Board’s recommendation
to reinstate a clearance, the head of the entity selected under subsection (b)
shall notify the committees described in subclauses (I) through (V) of clause
(i).</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H66ABB9EEFC3549CE94AB56245C993FDC"><enum>(6)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Judicial review</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this section shall be construed
to permit or require judicial review of any—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0F3180FA5A0144A48D825BB6F7779B99"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">agency action under this section; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE0914F88CF034E56BB52842C8D4611EC"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">action of the appellate review board
established under section 204 of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act
of 2011.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H756C8AF3C5424339A4CE266F8979CBE2"><enum>(7)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Private cause of action</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this section shall be construed
to permit, authorize, or require a private cause of action to challenge the
merits of a security clearance
determination.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6CCB119FD95449A0A9FD52004C2E3422"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Access determination defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 3001(a) of the Intelligence Reform
and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (50 U.S.C. 435b(a)) is amended by adding
at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H25CF534FBA46400AB0E24271E7EF4184" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD0C8A92262E748C0BE1F69498B9C29DC"><enum>(9)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>access determination</term>
means the process for determining whether an employee—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCADEFA11091F46DF9DBF6CC60232958B"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">is eligible for access to classified
information in accordance with Executive Order 12968 (60 Fed. Reg. 40245;
relating to access to classified information), or any successor thereto, and
Executive Order 10865 (25 Fed. Reg. 1583; relating to safeguarding classified
information with industry); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8BF0B26862A54700B018327F77755992"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">possesses a need to know under that
Order.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1EE45057BCCB4831879ED52144431E07"><enum>(d)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Rule of construction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in section 3001 of the Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (50 U.S.C. 435b), as amended by
this Act, shall be construed to require the repeal or replacement of agency
appeal procedures implementing Executive Order 12968 (60 Fed. Reg. 40245;
relating to classified national security information), or any successor
thereto, and Executive Order 10865 (25 Fed. Reg. 1583; relating to safeguarding
classified information with industry), or any successor thereto, that meet the
requirements of section 3001(b)(7) of such Act, as so amended.</text>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8D6336296E8347F0AA21A4772EB04F73" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>203.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Revisions relating to the Intelligence
Community Whistleblower Protection Act</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF6BD3A55807A4E999294C6B14ADEF951"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 8H of the Inspector General Act of
1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF26E3E9EC8C04E88ACC6078E0490C7AD"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (b)—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9C08AD967E474234AE20577D8228C7AF"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>(1)</quote> after
<quote>(b)</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9ACCBFCDAA354A2F8D5C58A85B710288"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H37206589C16C4BFC9270937458DC4DF0" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H56DAF62496F344E4B9BEA2E8F8558781" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the head of an establishment determines
that a complaint or information transmitted under paragraph (1) would create a
conflict of interest for the head of the establishment, the head of the
establishment shall return the complaint or information to the Inspector
General with that determination and the Inspector General shall make the
transmission to the Director of National Intelligence. In such a case, the
requirements of this section for the head of the establishment apply to the
recipient of the Inspector General’s transmission. The Director of National
Intelligence shall consult with the members of the appellate review board
established under section 204 of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement
Review Act of 2011 regarding all transmissions under this
paragraph.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H40FB867362DF486F953EDC13B4C81670"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by designating subsection (h) as subsection
(i); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF5265D47A91447738D004051216F56FE"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting after subsection (g), the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HCA8425857A3241779A8C5D3F50D12B75" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7A815FDF69A04288865172D4CCA12B34"><enum>(h)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An individual who has submitted a complaint
or information to an Inspector General under this section may notify any member
of Congress or congressional staff member of the fact that such individual has
made a submission to that particular Inspector General, and of the date on
which such submission was
made.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1AC4D8175AF14F669383312DAA561442"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Central Intelligence Agency</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 17(d)(5) of the Central
Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. 403q) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H12DEEAAD595544D4BD6FE922B5831CDE"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (B)—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H572BB97F0E36413EBD6A12CE7E7B68D4"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>(i)</quote> after
<quote>(B)</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB53C8C92155D4917BA55D6ED207330A1"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF3169B130C484BFA907CDB459A1BB8C7" style="OLC">
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H980D3B581A714E2EBD9EC0313AD9BFCC" indent="up3"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Director determines that a complaint
or information transmitted under paragraph (1) would create a conflict of
interest for the Director, the Director shall return the complaint or
information to the Inspector General with that determination and the Inspector
General shall make the transmission to the Director of National Intelligence.
In such a case the requirements of this subsection for the Director apply to
the recipient of the Inspector General’s submission;
and</text>
</clause><after-quoted-block>;
and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC0CE05C4E0564FC79FC197E75FE5CBE1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H53F23B95326D433EAF532B72A4302774" style="OLC">
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H58F7736E09B341A28425740D0CB19569" indent="up2"><enum>(H)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An individual who has submitted a complaint
or information to the Inspector General under this section may notify any
member of Congress or congressional staff member of the fact that such
individual has made a submission to the Inspector General, and of the date on
which such submission was
made.</text>
</subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEB99E136CB8F4573861E1E37B7C62726" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>204.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Regulations; reporting requirements;
nonapplicability to certain terminations</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H98EA7C2F353C4F7F8D8750260D957C51"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Definitions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8EABE55163EA4966AF74AFDF2D680A14"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>congressional oversight
committees</term> means—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2DEC895E75154CB989937884C9BA98C3"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on Homeland Security and
Government Affairs of the Senate;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF1F43CB5043F4AA2836D3E0F5713F077"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Select Committee on Intelligence of the
Senate;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H204A801840D54F44B24EA0014E2D9A66"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform of the House of Representatives; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H44EEAE9A51754DB89DC4E4939A631E22"><enum>(D)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4B66D3277B8A449B9F824474D97727D0"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the term <term>intelligence community
element</term>—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H8E6FC13EC39543B2870A719CA4758E21"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">means—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H3A8917D46D444C41B8D65FC1A59436B5"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Central Intelligence Agency, the
Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the
National Security Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence,
and the National Reconnaissance Office; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H00A4E935237D4122892F3C025D42EF69"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any executive agency or unit thereof
determined by the President under section 2302(a)(2)(C)(ii) of title 5, United
States Code, to have as its principal function the conduct of foreign
intelligence or counterintelligence activities; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H190475D07AB2497295CCB81B169871F3"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">does not include the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7627B506C72D4F5695BACA7C28C4EFDD"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Regulations</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H14EF12B3732B4220B90A722346E41CD6"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Director of National Intelligence shall
prescribe regulations to ensure that a personnel action shall not be taken
against an employee of an intelligence community element as a reprisal for any
disclosure of information described in section 2303a(b) of title 5, United
States Code, as added by this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0B07E8B440D8457182E625CC71DD68E5"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Appellate review board</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, and the heads of
appropriate agencies, shall establish an appellate review board that is broadly
representative of affected Departments and agencies and is made up of
individuals with expertise in merit systems principles and national security
issues—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H570CD243E51943A3BD8EFFD670C0DD1A"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to hear whistleblower appeals related to
security clearance access determinations described in section 3001(j) of the
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (50 U.S.C. 435b), as
added by this Act; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H703ECBC6BC3C4BA79EF408EB4275DAE6"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that shall include a subpanel that reflects
the composition of the intelligence committee, which shall be composed of
intelligence community elements and inspectors general from intelligence
community elements, for the purpose of hearing cases that arise in elements of
the intelligence community.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDF171245E8C34AFAA3654D56A9F3D32F"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Report on the status of implementation of
regulations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 2
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of National
Intelligence shall submit a report on the status of the implementation of the
regulations promulgated under subsection (b) to the congressional oversight
committees.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFA27B1E2781D4D8D87D925B6D095582C"><enum>(d)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nonapplicability to certain
terminations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 2303a of
title 5, United States Code, as added by this Act, and section 3001 of the
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (50 U.S.C. 435b), as
amended by this Act, shall not apply to adverse security clearance or access
determinations if the affected employee is concurrently terminated
under—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0D10E0C512E9488F8A1FA0A3A583ABC6"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">section 1609 of title 10, United States
Code;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H58C1BEE47BAC4922B405C823D46FE7E5"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the authority of the Director of National
Intelligence under section 102A(m) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50
U.S.C. 403–1(m)), if—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2AB7F33A1BEE4AD7A2FDFE3BD025D895"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Director personally summarily
terminates the individual; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1C444DBA4E694A6B9D634CB75C6EEC62"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Director—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1DE90F5E01B44885B8940C37B761867B"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">determines the termination to be in the
interest of the United States;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7D002A43D4F048A2909A6D7CDD429428"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">determines that the procedures prescribed
in other provisions of law that authorize the termination of the employment of
such employee cannot be invoked in a manner consistent with the national
security; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6CDC98081FB04B65AC0CEDAA036327CF"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">not later than 5 days after such
termination, notifies the congressional oversight committees of the
termination;</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA38B9EF5DAF142D49049E3E2008B8A07"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the authority of the Director of the
Central Intelligence Agency under section 104A(e) of the National Security Act
of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 403–4a(e)), if—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H84333D0C56364A729FEDB5A16BDC478D"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Director personally summarily
terminates the individual; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7E163BCEE6034132ACEC07F663254460"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Director—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5595F3F8B703494CA48E17606FFFDD83"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">determines the termination to be in the
interest of the United States;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0EEA075CAD2143FB91B6AA2DB3564724"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">determines that the procedures prescribed
in other provisions of law that authorize the termination of the employment of
such employee cannot be invoked in a manner consistent with the national
security; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0755A04768B54F3ABC3BA004C127A5A6"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">not later than 5 days after such
termination, notifies the congressional oversight committees of the
termination; or</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HF968FAE5DEA54C4A8C8ADEEC795D6FD2"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">section 7532 of title 5, United States
Code, if—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD0654DEB39D74671830788604E54BB7D"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the agency head personally terminates the
individual; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HE239BD9F707747E99A4572979A3B4B05"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the agency head—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6A9664EDC140455E8647A6D4DC371F5C"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">determines the termination to be in the
interest of the United States;</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H409B837541C749EFB475C96AC238DF6F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">determines that the procedures prescribed
in other provisions of law that authorize the termination of the employment of
such employee cannot be invoked in a manner consistent with the national
security; and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H71826E1B8DC14850A4B1C45906AAD44C"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">not later than 5 days after such
termination, notifies the congressional oversight committees of the
termination.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Effective date; savings provision</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H26092C08E04544F1A81E2AD70FB51FE5" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>301.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Effective
date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Except as otherwise
provided in this Act, this Act shall take effect 30 days after the date of
enactment of this Act.</text>
</section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H07ED2DBC34C94C0CB9FD05F278F63EFE" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>302.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Savings provision</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
imply any limitation on any protections afforded by any other provision of law
to employees and applicants.</text>
</section>