[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 114-261
114th Congress

An Act


 
To enhance whistleblower protection for contractor and grantee
employees. <>

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ENHANCEMENT OF WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION FOR CONTRACTOR
AND GRANTEE EMPLOYEES.

(a) Protection for Employees of Grantees and Subgrantees.--
(1) Defense grants.--Section 2409(a)(1) of title 10, United
States Code, is amended by inserting ``or personal services
contractor'' after ``subgrantee''.
(2) Civilian grants.--Section 4712(a)(1) of title 41, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``or grantee'' and inserting
``grantee, or subgrantee or personal services contractor''.
(3) Permanent extension of pilot program for enhancement of
contractor protection from reprisal for disclosure of certain
information.--
(A) In general.--Section 4712 of title 41, United
States Code, is amended--
(i) in the section heading by striking ``Pilot
program for enhancement'' and inserting
``Enhancement''; and
(ii) by striking subsection (i).
(B) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at
the beginning of chapter 47 of title 41, United
States <>  Code, is amended by
striking the item relating to section 4712 and inserting
the following new item:

``4712. Enhancement of contractor protection from reprisal for
disclosure of certain information.''.

(b) Prohibition on Reimbursement for Legal Fees Accrued in Defense
Against Reprisal Claims.--
(1) Defense contracts.--Section 2324(k) of title 10, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) by inserting ``or subcontractor, or personal
services contractor'' after ``contractor'' each place it
appears;
(B) by inserting ``, subcontract, or personal
services contract'' after ``contract'' each place it
appears; and
(C) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or to any other
activity described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of
section 2409(a)(1) of this title'' after ``statute or
regulation''.
(2) Civilian contracts.--
(A) In general.--Section 4310 of title 41, United
States Code, is amended--

[[Page 1363]]

(i) by inserting ``, subcontractor, or
personal services contractor'' after
``contractor'' each place it appears;
(ii) by inserting ``, subcontract, or personal
services contract'' after ``contract'' each place
it appears; and
(iii) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting ``or
to any other activity described in section
4712(a)(1) of this title'' after ``statute or
regulation''.
(B) Conforming amendment.--Section 4304(a)(15) of
title 41, United States Code, is amended by inserting
``or subcontractor, or personal service contractor''
after ``contractor''.

(c) <>  Inclusion of
Contract Clause in Contracts Awarded Before Effective Date.--At the time
of any major modification to a contract that was awarded before the date
of the enactment of this Act, the head of the contracting agency shall
make best efforts to include in the contract a contract clause providing
for the applicability of the amendments made by this section and section
827 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013
(Public Law 112-239; 126 Stat. 1833).

Approved December 14, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 795:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 114-270 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016):
June 23, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 5, considered and passed House.