IB 
Union Calendar No. 380 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4043 
[Report No. 115–510] 
To amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to reauthorize the whistleblower 
protection program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 12, 2017 
Mr. BLUM (for himself and Mr. CUMMINGS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
JANUARY 11, 2018 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic] 
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A BILL 
To amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to reauthorize 
the whistleblower protection program, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Whistleblower Protec-
tion Extension Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(d) of the Inspector Gen-
eral 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 adjust-
ing 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 em-
ployees may seek review of any allega-
tion of reprisal, including the roles of 
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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 avail-
ability of any alternative dispute 
mechanisms, and avenues for poten-
tial relief.;’’; and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) assist the Inspector General in pro-
moting the timely and appropriate handling and 
consideration of protected disclosures and alle-
gations of reprisal, to the extent practicable, by 
the Inspector General; and 
‘‘(iii) assist the Inspector General in facili-
tating communication and coordination with the 
Special Counsel, the Council of the Inspectors 
General on Integrity and Efficiency, the agency, 
Congress, and any other relevant entity regard-
ing the timely and appropriate handling and 
consideration of protected disclosures, allega-
tions of reprisal, and general matters regarding 
the implementation and administration of whis-
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tleblower protection laws, rules, and regula-
tions.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Ombuds-
man’’ and inserting ‘‘Coordinator’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (4); and 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(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 Whistle-
blower 
Protection 
Coordinators 
designated 
under section 3(d)(C); and 
‘‘(B) in consultation with the Office of 
Special Counsel and Whistleblower Protection 
Coordinators from the member offices of the In-
spector General, develop best practices for co-
ordination and communication in promoting the 
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timely and appropriate handling and consider-
ation of protected disclosures, allegations of re-
prisal, and general matters regarding the imple-
mentation 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 retalia-
tion; and 
‘‘(B) what, if any, consequences the establish-
ment 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: 
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‘‘(4) whether the establishment entered into a 
settlement agreement with the official described in 
subsection (a)(20)(A), which shall be reported re-
gardless of any confidentiality agreement relating to 
the settlement agreement; and’’. 
(d) REPEAL OF SUNSET.—Subsection (c) of section 
117 of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 
2012 (Public Law 112–199; 126 Stat. 1475) is repealed. 
(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 re-
pealed. 
(2) 
RETROACTIVE
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The 
amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect 
on November 26, 2017. 
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Union Calendar No. 380 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4043 
[Report No. 115–510] 
A BILL 
To amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to re-
authorize the whistleblower protection program, 
and for other purposes. 
JANUARY 11, 2018 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:39 Jan 11, 2018
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