[115th Congress Public Law 192]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 1501]]

                WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION COORDINATION ACT

[[Page 132 STAT. 1502]]

Public Law 115-192
115th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To reauthorize and rename the position of Whistleblower Ombudsman to be 
 the Whistleblower Protection Coordinator. <<NOTE: June 25, 2018 -  [S. 
                                1869]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Whistleblower 
Protection Coordination Act. 5 USC app. 1 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Whistleblower Protection Coordination 
Act''.
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 3(d) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 
(5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(C)--
                    (A) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as 
                subclauses (I) and (II), respectively, and adjusting the 
                margins accordingly;
                    (B) by striking ``Ombudsman who shall educate agency 
                employees--'' and inserting the following: ``Coordinator 
                who shall--
                    ``(i) educate agency employees--'';
                    (C) in subclause (I), as so redesignated, by 
                striking ``on retaliation'' and inserting ``against 
                retaliation'';
                    (D) in subclause (II), as so redesignated, by 
                striking the period at the end and inserting the 
                following: ``, including--
                                    ``(aa) the means by which employees 
                                may seek review of any allegation of 
                                reprisal, including the roles of the 
                                Office of the Inspector General, the 
                                Office of Special Counsel, the Merit 
                                Systems Protection Board, and any other 
                                relevant entities; and
                                    ``(bb) general information about the 
                                timeliness of such cases, the 
                                availability of any alternative dispute 
                                mechanisms, and avenues for potential 
                                relief.''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(ii) assist the Inspector General in promoting the 
                timely and appropriate handling and consideration of 
                protected disclosures and allegations of reprisal, to 
                the extent practicable, by the Inspector General; and
                    ``(iii) assist the Inspector General in facilitating 
                communication and coordination with the Special Counsel, 
                the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and 
                Efficiency, the establishment, Congress, and any other 
                relevant

[[Page 132 STAT. 1503]]

                entity regarding the timely and appropriate handling and 
                consideration of protected disclosures, allegations of 
                reprisal, and general matters regarding the 
                implementation and administration of whistleblower 
                protection laws, rules, and regulations.'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Ombudsman'' and 
        inserting ``Coordinator'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) The Whistleblower Protection Coordinator shall have 
        direct access to the Inspector General as needed to accomplish 
        the requirements of this subsection.''.

    (b) Responsibilities of CIGIE.--Section 11(c) of the Inspector 
General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(5) Additional responsibilities relating to whistleblower 
        protection.--The Council shall--
                    ``(A) facilitate the work of the Whistleblower 
                Protection Coordinators designated under section 
                3(d)(C); and
                    ``(B) <<NOTE: Consultation.>>  in consultation with 
                the Office of Special Counsel and Whistleblower 
                Protection Coordinators from the member offices of the 
                Inspector General, develop best practices for 
                coordination and communication in promoting the timely 
                and appropriate handling and consideration of protected 
                disclosures, allegations of reprisal, and general 
                matters regarding the implementation and administration 
                of whistleblower protection laws, in accordance with 
                Federal law.''.

    (c) Reporting.--Section 5 of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 
U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (20) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(20)(A) a detailed description of any instance of 
        whistleblower retaliation, including information about the 
        official found to have engaged in retaliation; and
            ``(B) what, if any, consequences the establishment actually 
        imposed to hold the official described in subparagraph (A) 
        accountable;''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)(D), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); 
                and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
            ``(4) whether the establishment entered into a settlement 
        agreement with the official described in subsection (a)(20)(A), 
        which shall be reported regardless of any confidentiality 
        agreement relating to the settlement agreement; and''.

    (d) Repeal of Sunset.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (c) of section 117 of the 
        Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 (Public Law 
        112-199; 126 Stat. 1475) is repealed.

[[Page 132 STAT. 1504]]

            (2) <<NOTE: 5 USC app. 3 note.>>  Retroactive effective 
        date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect on 
        November 26, 2017.

    Approved June 25, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1869 (H.R. 4043):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-510 (Comm. on Oversight and Government Reform) 
accompanying H.R. 4043.
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115-196 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
            Mar. 15, considered and passed Senate.
            June 7, considered and passed House.

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