Military Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2013

To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand and enhance authorities on protected communications of members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Military Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2013 2. Expansion and enhancement of authorities relating protected communications of members of the Armed Forces and prohibited retaliatory actions (a) Expansion of prohibited retaliatory personnel actions Subsection (b) of section 1034 (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking or (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) in clause (i), by inserting or a representative of a Member of Congress a Member of Congress (ii) in clause (iv), by striking or (iii) by redesignating clause (v) as clause (vi); (iv) by inserting after clause (v) the following new clause (v): (v) a court, grand jury, or court-martial proceeding, or an authorized official of the Department of Justice or another law enforcement agency; or ; and (v) in clause (vi), as redesignated by clause (iii) of this subparagraph, by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) testimony, or otherwise participating in or assisting in an investigation or proceeding related to a communication under subparagraph (A) or (B), or filing, causing to be filed, participating in, or otherwise assisting in an action brought under this section. ; and (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting after any favorable action , or a significant change in a member's duties, responsibilities, or working conditions (b) Inspector General investigations of allegations Subsection (c) of such section is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking paragraph (3) paragraph (4) (2) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following new subparagraph (A): (A) Any violation of any law, rule, or regulation, including a law or regulation prohibiting rape, sexual assault, or other sexual misconduct in sections 920 through 920c of this title (articles 120 through 120c of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination. ; (3) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively; (4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph (3): (3) A communication described in paragraph (2) shall not be excluded from the protections provided in this section because— (A) the communication was made to a person who participated in an activity that the member reasonably believed to be covered by paragraph (2); (B) the communication revealed information that had previously been communicated; (C) of the member’s motive for making the communication; (D) the communication was not made in writing; (E) the communication was made while the member was off duty; (F) the communication was made during the normal course of duties of the member. ; (5) in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (4), as redesignated by paragraph (3) of this subsection, by inserting before the period at the end of the second sentence the following: , with the consent of the member (6) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated— (A) by striking paragraph (3)(A) paragraph (4)(A) (B) by striking paragraph (3)(D) paragraph (4)(D) (C) by striking 60 days one year (c) Inspector General investigations of underlying allegations Subsection (d) of such section is amended by striking subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (c)(2) subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of subsection (c)(2) (d) Reports on investigations Subsection (e) of such section is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) by striking subsection (c)(3)(E) subsection (c)(4)(E) (B) by striking the Secretary of Defense the Secretary of the military department concerned (C) by striking to the Secretary, to such Secretary, (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the Secretary of Defense the Secretary of the military department concerned (3) in paragraph (4), by striking the second sentence and inserting the following new sentence: The report shall include an explicit determination as to whether a personnel action prohibited by subsection (b) has occurred and a recommendation as to the disposition of the complaint, including appropriate corrective action for the member. (e) Action in case of violations Such section is further amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i) as subsections (g), (h), (j), and (k), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection (f): (f) Action in case of violations (1) If an Inspector General reports under subsection (e) that a personnel action prohibited by subsection (b) has occurred, not later than 30 days after receiving such report from the Inspector General, the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Secretary of the military department concerned, as applicable, shall order such action as is necessary to correct the record of a personnel action prohibited by subsection (b), taking into account the recommendations in the report by the Inspector General. Such Secretary shall take any appropriate disciplinary action against the individual who committed such prohibited personnel action. (2) If the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Secretary of the military department concerned, as applicable, determines that an order for corrective or disciplinary action is not appropriate, not later than 30 days after making the determination, such Secretary shall— (A) provide to the Secretary of Defense, the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and the member or former member, a notice of the determination and the reasons for not taking action; or (B) refer the report to the appropriate board for the correction of military records for further review under subsection (g). . (f) Correction of records Subsection (g) of such section, as redesignated by subsection (e)(1) of this section, is further amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking may review shall review (2) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking may upon the request of the member or former member, after an initial determination that a complaint is not frivolous and has not previously been addressed by the board, shall (3) in paragraph (3)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking board elects to hold board holds (B) in subparagraph (A)— (i) by striking may be provided shall be provided (ii) in clause (ii), by striking the case is unusually complex or otherwise requires the member or former member would benefit from (g) Review Subsection (h) of such section, as redesignated by subsection (e)(1) of this section, is further amended by striking subsection (f) subsection (g) (h) Burdens of proof Such section is further amended by inserting after subsection (h), as so redesignated, the following new subsection (i): (i) Burdens of proof The burdens of proof specified in section 1221(e) of title 5 shall apply in any investigation conducted by an Inspector General, and any review conducted by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and any board for the correction of military records, under this section. . (i) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and shall apply with respect to allegations pending or submitted under section 1034 of title 10, United States Code, on or after that date.

Summary: Military Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2013 - Revises provisions concerning protected communications from members of the Armed Forces (members) to specified military and government officials (military whistleblower provisions) to include communications made to a court, grand jury, or court-martial proceeding or to an authorized official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or another law enforcement agency. Includes as additional protected communications any alleged violation of law, rule, or regulation, including those prohibiting rape, sexual assault, or other sexual misconduct under provisions of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Provides that neither an initial determination of whether a prohibited personnel retaliatory action was taken against a member for such a communication nor a subsequent investigation is required in the case of an allegation made more than one year (under current law, 60 days) after the member first becomes aware of the personnel action. Requires reports by inspectors general of the military departments concerned on prohibited retaliatory personnel actions to: (1) be submitted to such department's Secretary (under current law, to the Secretary of Defense [DOD]); and (2) include an explicit determination as to whether a prohibited personnel action has occurred and recommendations for disposition of the complaint, including appropriate corrective action for the member. Requires any such corrective action to occur within 30 days after the receipt of such report. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) (with respect to the Coast Guard) and the Secretary concerned, upon determining that an order for corrective or disciplinary action is not appropriate, to notify the Secretary of Defense, the congressional defense committees, and the member of such determination and the reasons for not taking action. Requires (under current law, allows) the appropriate correction of military records upon the request of a member for whom a prohibited action determination has been made. Establishes the member's and agency's burden of proof with respect to military whistleblower protection investigations and determinations.