To amend title 5, United States Code, to modify and enhance protections for Federal Government whistleblowers, and for other purposes.
Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2021
This bill establishes, modifies, and expands certain whistleblower protections for federal employees, including with respect to petitions to Congress, whistleblower identity, and protected disclosures.
For example, the bill prohibits personnel action against employees who exercise their right to petition or furnish information to Congress and specifically precludes the President, Members of Congress, members of the uniformed services, and other federal employees from interfering with this right. It also generally prohibits employees from disclosing the identity of whistleblowers to individuals outside of the government and allows the Inspector General to determine whether to investigate a referral if the referral is found to have been made in retaliation for whistleblowing activity. Employees may request corrective action from the Merit Systems Protection Board with respect to such prohibited practices and may file an action in court if the board does not render a final decision within 180 days of a request.
The bill also expands the list of recipients to whom an employee may make a protected disclosure to include a supervisor in the employee's direct chain of command. It also includes personnel actions involving furloughs of more than 14 days but less than 30 days, and furloughs of 13 days or less that are not due to funding lapses, as appealable adverse actions that are subject to certain procedural requirements.
Received in the Senate.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1339. (consideration: CR H7825-7833; text: CR H7825-7831)
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 302, H.R. 2988 and H.R. 8326. Rule provides for one hour of general debate each for H.R. 302, H.R. 2988, and H.R. 8326. Rule also provides for one motion to recommit on each bill.
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 1339 and Rule XVIII.
The Speaker designated the Honorable Earl Blumenauer to act as Chairman of the Committee.
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 2988.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1339, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Carolyn B. Maloney en bloc amendment.
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Carolyn B. Maloney amendment, the Chair put the question on the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Maloney demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Mrs. Maloney, Carolyn B. moved that the committee rise.
On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
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Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 2988 as unfinished business.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7860-7862)
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on agreeing to an amendment, which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 2988.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
The House adopted the amendments en gross as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 203 (Roll no. 437).
Roll Call #437 (House)On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 203 (Roll no. 437).
Roll Call #437 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.