In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
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Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Cyber Security Leadership 
Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Federal agencies rely on networked computer systems to 
        deliver critical services and information to the American 
        people, including operations related to national defense, 
        emergency services, tax collection, and the payment of 
        benefits.
            (2) There has been an astonishing increase in cyber threats 
        to government and industry in recent years. The number of cyber 
        attacks on Federal Government systems in 2001 was 71 percent 
        greater than the number of such attacks on such systems in 
        2000.
            (3) Cyber attacks can cause irreparable harm in network 
        systems, including the loss or dissemination of sensitive and 
        important data. Cyber attacks can also reduce the confidence of 
        the American people in the integrity and security of the 
        Internet.
            (4) There is mounting evidence to suggest that terrorists 
        view the Internet as a tool to achieve their goals. Government 
        investigators found that al Qaeda operatives browsed Internet 
        sites that offered software describing the digital switches 
        that control power, water, transport, and communications grids.
            (5) The Bush Administration has recognized in its draft 
        National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace ``the pressing need to 
        make federal cyberspace security a model for the nation''.
            (6) All but a few Federal agencies continue to receive 
        failing grades for their cyber security programs.
            (7) Federal agencies must take significant steps to better 
        protect themselves against cyber attacks, including--
                    (A) identifying significant vulnerabilities in 
                their computer networks and the tools needed to detect 
                such vulnerabilities;
                    (B) monitoring for new vulnerabilities in their 
                computer networks, and assessing risks of cyber 
                attacks;
                    (C) testing computers against identified 
                vulnerabilities; and
                    (D) ensuring that computers and networks are 
                adequately protected against such vulnerabilities.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Chief information officer.--The term ``Chief 
        Information Officer'', with respect to an agency, means the 
        official designated as the Chief Information Officer of the 
        agency pursuant to section 3506(a)(2) of title 44, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Vulnerability.--The term ``vulnerability'', in the case 
        of information technology, means an error or defect in coding, 
        configuration, or installation of such information technology 
        that increases its susceptibility to a cyber threat.
            (3) Other definitions.--Except as otherwise provided in 
        this section, any term used in this Act which is defined in 
        section 3502 of title 44, United States Code, shall have the 
        meaning given that term in such section 3502.

SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF SIGNIFICANT VULNERABILITIES OF FEDERAL 
              GOVERNMENT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) In General.--The Chief Information Officer of each agency 
shall--
            (1) identify the significant vulnerabilities of the 
        information technology of such agency, including--
                    (A) vulnerabilities of such classes of information 
                technology of such agency as the Chief Information 
                Officer shall designate for purposes of this section; 
                and
                    (B) vulnerabilities of the information technology 
                of such agency as a whole;
            (2) establish performance goals for eliminating the 
        significant vulnerabilities of the information technology of 
        such agency identified under paragraph (1), with such 
        performance goals--
                    (A) to be established utilizing the current state 
                of the information technology of such agency as a 
                baseline;
                    (B) to be stated both for particular classes of 
                information technology of such agency (as determined 
                under paragraph (1)(A)) and for the information 
                technology of such agency as a whole; and
                    (C) to be expressed as target ratios of 
                vulnerabilities per information technology;
            (3) procure or develop tools to identify and eliminate the 
        vulnerabilities identified under paragraph (1) in order to 
        achieve the performance goals established under paragraph (2);
            (4) train personnel of such agency in the utilization of 
        tools procured or developed under paragraph (3);
            (5) not less often than once each quarter, test the 
        information technology of such agency to determine the extent 
        of the compliance of the information technology with the 
        performance goals established under paragraph (3); and
            (6) to the extent that the information technology of such 
        agency does not comply with the performance goals established 
        under paragraph (3), promptly develop and implement a plan to 
        eliminate significant vulnerabilities in the information 
        technology in order to achieve compliance with such performance 
        goals.
    (b) Annual Report on Activities.--
            (1) Requirement.--The Chief Information Officer of each 
        agency shall include information on its activities under 
        subsection (a) in each annual report submitted to the Director 
        of the Office of Management and Budget under section 3545(e) of 
        title 44, United States Code (as amended by section 301(b) of 
        the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (title 
        III of Public Law 107-347)).
            (2) Form.--The form of information submitted under 
        paragraph (1) shall be specified by the Director of the Office 
        of Management and Budget.
    (c) Governmentwide Standards.--
            (1) Review by nist.--The Director of the Office of 
        Management and Budget shall ensure the review by the Director 
        of the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the 
        annual reports submitted under subsection (b) in the first year 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Guidelines.--Not later than 180 days after receiving 
        annual reports for review under paragraph (1), the Director of 
        the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall 
        develop and make available to the Chief Information Officers of 
        the agencies governmentwide guidelines for use in complying 
        with subsection (a). The guidelines shall--
                    (A) identify vulnerabilities of information 
                technology common to the agencies; and
                    (B) describe means of eliminating such 
                vulnerabilities, including the use of checklists 
                pursuant to section 8(c) of the Cyber Security Research 
                and Development Act (Public Law 107-305).
            (3) Mandatory use.--
                    (A) Designation of vulnerabilities.--The Director 
                of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
                shall designate as a result of the review under 
                paragraph (1) any significant vulnerabilities of 
                information technology of such broad applicability and 
                severity so as to warrant the mandatory use of the 
                guidelines developed under paragraph (2) with respect 
                to such vulnerabilities.
                    (B) Mandatory use.--The Secretary of Commerce 
                shall, using the authority available to the Secretary 
                under section 11331(b) of title 40, United States Code, 
                mandate the use by the agencies of guidelines developed 
                under paragraph (2) with respect to vulnerabilities 
                designated under subparagraph (A).
                    (C) Use and exception.--Each agency shall use a 
                standard mandated under subparagraph (B) unless the 
                Chief Information Officer of such agency determines, 
                with the concurrence of the Director of the National 
                Institute of Standards and Technology, that the use of 
                such guideline by such agency would not increase the 
                security of the information technology covered by such 
                standard.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the provisions of this Act amounts as 
follows:
            (1) For the Department of Commerce for the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology, $1,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 2004 to develop the guidelines required by section 4(c).
            (2) For each agency, such sums as may be necessary for such 
        agency for fiscal years 2004 through 2008 to carry out the 
        provisions of this Act.
    (b) Availability.--The amount authorized to be appropriated by 
subsection (a)(1) shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.

Answer: National Cyber Security Leadership Act of 2003 - Requires the Chief Information Officer of each Federal agency to: (1) identify the significant vulnerabilities of the information technology (IT) of such agency; (2) establish performance goals for eliminating such vulnerabilities; (3) procure or develop tools to identify and eliminate those vulnerabilities in order to achieve such performance goals; (4) train personnel in the utilization of those tools; (5) test the agency's IT to determine the extent of its compliance with the performance goals; and (6) develop and implement a plan to eliminate significant vulnerabilities in order to achieve compliance.Requires: (1) each Officer to include information on the agency's activities under this Act in annual reports on the agency's information security program and practices submitted to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB); and (2) the OMB Director to ensure the review of such reports by the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); (3) the NIST Director to designate, as the result of such review, any significant IT vulnerabilities of such broad applicability and severity so as to warrant the use of government-wide guidelines the Director shall develop and make available to such Officers for complying with this Act; and (4) the Secretary of Commerce to mandate agency use of such guidelines.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. Chris 
Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                      TITLE I--EMPLOYEES GENERALLY

Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. Stays; probationary employees.
Sec. 103. Prohibited personnel practices.
Sec. 104. Discipline of supervisors based on retaliation against 
          whistleblowers.
Sec. 105. Suicide by employees.
Sec. 106. Training for supervisors.
Sec. 107. Information on whistleblower protections.

           TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES

Sec. 201. Prevention of unauthorized access to medical records of 
          employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 202. Outreach on availability of mental health services available 
          to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 203. Protocols to address threats against employees of the 
          Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 204. Comptroller General of the United States study on 
          accountability of chiefs of police of Department of Veterans 
          Affairs medical centers.

                      TITLE I--EMPLOYEES GENERALLY

    SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.
    In this title--
        (1) the term ``agency''--
            (A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means an entity 
        that is an agency, as defined under section 2302 of title 5, 
        United States Code, without regard to whether one or more 
        portions of title 5 of the United States Code are inapplicable 
        to the entity; and
            (B) does not include any entity that is an element of the 
        intelligence community, as defined in section 3(4) of the 
        National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4));
        (2) the term ``employee'' means an employee (as defined in 
    section 2105 of title 5, United States Code) of an agency; and
        (3) the term ``personnel action'' has the meaning given that 
    term under section 2302 of title 5, United States Code.
    SEC. 102. STAYS; PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES.
    (a) Request by Special Counsel.--Section 1214(b)(1) of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(E) If the Merit Systems Protection Board grants a stay under 
this subsection, the head of the agency employing the employee shall 
give priority to a request for a transfer submitted by the employee.''.
    (b) Probationary Employees.--Section 1221 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) If the Merit Systems Protection Board grants a stay to an 
employee in probationary status under subsection (c), the head of the 
agency employing the employee shall give priority to a request for a 
transfer submitted by the employee.''.
    (c) Study Regarding Retaliation Against Probationary Employees.--
The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 
Representatives a report discussing retaliation against employees in 
probationary status.
    SEC. 103. PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES.
    Section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (12), by striking ``or'' at the end;
        (2) in paragraph (13), by striking the period at the end and 
    inserting ``; or''; and
        (3) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following:
        ``(14) access the medical record of another employee or an 
    applicant for employment as a part of, or otherwise in furtherance 
    of, any conduct described in paragraphs (1) through (13).''.
    SEC. 104. DISCIPLINE OF SUPERVISORS BASED ON RETALIATION AGAINST 
      WHISTLEBLOWERS.
    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 75 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 7515. Discipline of supervisors based on retaliation against 
    whistleblowers
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
        ``(1) the term `agency'--
            ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), means an 
        entity that is an agency, as defined under section 2302, 
        without regard to whether any other provision of this chapter 
        is applicable to the entity; and
            ``(B) does not include any entity that is an element of the 
        intelligence community, as defined in section 3(4) of the 
        National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4));
        ``(2) the term `prohibited personnel action' means taking or 
    failing to take an action in violation of paragraph (8), (9), or 
    (14) of section 2302(b) against an employee of an agency; and
        ``(3) the term `supervisor' means an employee who would be a 
    supervisor, as defined under section 7103(a), if the entity 
    employing the employee was an agency.
    ``(b) Proposed Disciplinary Actions.--
        ``(1) In general.--If the head of the agency employing a 
    supervisor, an administrative law judge, the Merit Systems 
    Protection Board, the Special Counsel, a judge of the United 
    States, or the Inspector General of the agency employing a 
    supervisor determines that the supervisor has committed a 
    prohibited personnel action, the head of the agency employing the 
    supervisor, in accordance with the procedures required under 
    paragraph (2)--
            ``(A) for the first prohibited personnel action committed 
        by a supervisor--
                ``(i) shall propose suspending the supervisor for a 
            period of not less than 3 days; and
                ``(ii) may, in addition to a suspension described in 
            clause (i), propose any other action, including a reduction 
            in grade or pay, that the head of the agency determines 
            appropriate; and
            ``(B) for the second prohibited personnel action committed 
        by a supervisor, shall propose removing the supervisor.
        ``(2) Procedures.--
            ``(A) Notice.--A supervisor against whom an action is 
        proposed to be taken under paragraph (1) is entitled to written 
        notice--
                ``(i) stating the specific reasons for the proposed 
            action; and
                ``(ii) informing the supervisor of the right of the 
            supervisor to review the material which is relied on to 
            support the reasons for the proposed action.
            ``(B) Answer and evidence.--
                ``(i) In general.--A supervisor who is notified under 
            subparagraph (A) that the supervisor is the subject of a 
            proposed action under paragraph (1) is entitled to 14 days 
            following such notification to answer and furnish evidence 
            in support of the answer.
                ``(ii) No evidence furnished; insufficient evidence.--
            After the end of the 14-day period described in clause (i), 
            if a supervisor does not furnish evidence as described in 
            clause (i) or if the head of the agency determines that 
            such evidence is not sufficient to reverse the proposed 
            action, the head of the agency shall carry out the action.
            ``(C) Scope of procedures.--An action carried out under 
        this section--
                ``(i) except as provided in clause (ii), shall be 
            subject to the same requirements and procedures (including 
            regarding appeals) as an action under section 7503, 7513, 
            or 7543; and
                ``(ii) shall not be subject to--

                    ``(I) paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 7503(b);
                    ``(II) paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) and 
                subsection (c) of section 7513; or
                    ``(III) paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) 
                and subsection (c) of section 7543.

        ``(3) Delegation.--
            ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (B), the 
        head of an agency may delegate any authority or responsibility 
        under this subsection.
            ``(B) Nondelegability of determination regarding prohibited 
        personnel action.--If the head of an agency is responsible for 
        determining whether a supervisor has committed a prohibited 
        personnel action for purposes of paragraph (1), the head of the 
        agency may not delegate that responsibility.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
subchapter II of chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following:

``7515. Discipline of supervisors based on retaliation against 
          whistleblowers.''.
    SEC. 105. SUICIDE BY EMPLOYEES.
    (a) Referral.--The head of an agency shall refer to the Special 
Counsel, along with any information known to the agency regarding the 
circumstances described in paragraphs (2) and (3), any instance in 
which the head of the agency has information indicating--
        (1) an employee of the agency committed suicide;
        (2) prior to the death of the employee, the employee made any 
    disclosure of information which reasonably evidences--
            (A) any violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or
            (B) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse 
        of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public 
        health or safety; and
        (3) after a disclosure described in paragraph (2), a personnel 
    action was taken against the employee.
    (b) Office of Special Counsel Review.--For any referral to the 
Special Counsel under subsection (a), the Special Counsel shall--
        (1) examine whether any personnel action was taken because of 
    any disclosure of information described in subsection (a)(2); and
        (2) take any action the Special Counsel determines appropriate 
    under subchapter II of chapter 12 of title 5, United States Code.
    SEC. 106. TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORS.
    In consultation with the Special Counsel and the Inspector General 
of the agency (or senior ethics official of the agency for an agency 
without an Inspector General), the head of each agency shall provide 
training regarding how to respond to complaints alleging a violation of 
whistleblower protections (as defined in section 2307 of title 5, 
United States Code, as added by section 107) available to employees of 
the agency--
        (1) to employees appointed to supervisory positions in the 
    agency who have not previously served as a supervisor; and
        (2) on an annual basis, to all employees of the agency serving 
    in a supervisory position.
    SEC. 107. INFORMATION ON WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS.
    (a) Existing Provision.--
        (1) In general.--Section 2302 of title 5, United States Code, 
    is amended--
            (A) by striking subsection (c); and
            (B) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f) as 
        subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively.
        (2) Technical and conforming amendments.--
            (A) Section 4505a(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' and inserting ``section 
        2302(c)''.
            (B) Section 5755(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' and inserting ``section 
        2302(c)''.
            (C) Section 110(b)(2) of the Whistleblower Protection 
        Enhancement Act of 2012 (5 U.S.C. 2302 note) is amended by 
        striking ``section 2302(f)(1) or (2)'' and inserting ``section 
        2302(e)(1) or (2)''.
            (D) Section 1217(d)(3) of the Panama Canal Act of 1979 (22 
        U.S.C. 3657(d)(3)) is amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' 
        and inserting ``section 2302(c)''.
            (E) Section 1233(b) of the Panama Canal Act of 1979 (22 
        U.S.C. 3673(b)) is amended by striking ``section 2302(d)'' and 
        inserting ``section 2302(c)''.
    (b) Provision of Information.--Chapter 23 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 2307. Information on whistleblower protections
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section--
        ``(1) the term `agency'--
            ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), has the 
        meaning given that term in section 2302; and
            ``(B) does not include any entity that is an element of the 
        intelligence community, as defined in section 3(4) of the 
        National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4));
        ``(2) the term `new employee' means an individual--
            ``(A) appointed to a position as an employee of an agency 
        on or after the date of enactment of the Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick 
        Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017; and
            ``(B) who has not previously served as an employee; and
        ``(3) the term `whistleblower protections' means the 
    protections against and remedies for a prohibited personnel 
    practice described in paragraph (8), subparagraph (A)(i), (B), (C), 
    or (D) of paragraph (9), or paragraph (14) of section 2302(b).
    ``(b) Responsibilities of Head of Agency.--The head of each agency 
shall be responsible for the prevention of prohibited personnel 
practices, for the compliance with and enforcement of applicable civil 
service laws, rules, and regulations, and other aspects of personnel 
management, and for ensuring (in consultation with the Special Counsel 
and the Inspector General of the agency) that employees of the agency 
are informed of the rights and remedies available to them under this 
chapter and chapter 12, including--
        ``(1) information regarding whistleblower protections available 
    to new employees during the probationary period;
        ``(2) the role of the Office of Special Counsel and the Merit 
    Systems Protection Board with regard to whistleblower protections; 
    and
        ``(3) how to make a lawful disclosure of information that is 
    specifically required by law or Executive order to be kept 
    classified in the interest of national defense or the conduct of 
    foreign affairs to the Special Counsel, the Inspector General of an 
    agency, Congress, or other agency employee designated to receive 
    such disclosures.
    ``(c) Timing.--The head of each agency shall ensure that the 
information required to be provided under subsection (b) is provided to 
each new employee of the agency not later than 6 months after the date 
the new employee begins performing service as an employee.
    ``(d) Information Online.--The head of each agency shall make 
available information regarding whistleblower protections applicable to 
employees of the agency on the public website of the agency, and on any 
online portal that is made available only to employees of the agency if 
one exists.
    ``(e) Delegees.--Any employee to whom the head of an agency 
delegates authority for personnel management, or for any aspect 
thereof, shall, within the limits of the scope of the delegation, be 
responsible for the activities described in subsection (b).''.
    (c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 23 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``2307. Information on whistleblower protections.''.

           TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES

    SEC. 201. PREVENTION OF UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO MEDICAL RECORDS OF 
      EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    (a) Development of Plan.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
            (A) develop a plan to prevent access to the medical records 
        of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs by employees 
        of the Department who are not authorized to access such 
        records;
            (B) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress the 
        plan developed under subparagraph (A); and
            (C) upon request, provide a briefing to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress with respect to the plan developed under 
        subparagraph (A).
        (2) Elements.--The plan required under paragraph (1) shall 
    include the following:
            (A) A detailed assessment of strategic goals of the 
        Department for the prevention of unauthorized access to the 
        medical records of employees of the Department.
            (B) A list of circumstances in which an employee of the 
        Department who is not a health care provider or an assistant to 
        a health care provider would be authorized to access the 
        medical records of another employee of the Department.
            (C) Steps that the Secretary will take to acquire new or 
        implement existing technology to prevent an employee of the 
        Department from accessing the medical records of another 
        employee of the Department without a specific need to access 
        such records.
            (D) Steps the Secretary will take, including plans to issue 
        new regulations, as necessary, to ensure that an employee of 
        the Department may not access the medical records of another 
        employee of the Department for the purpose of retrieving 
        demographic information if that demographic information is 
        available to the employee in another location or through 
        another format.
            (E) A proposed timetable for the implementation of such 
        plan.
            (F) An estimate of the costs associated with implementing 
        such plan.
    (b) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
        (1) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
    and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
        (2) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the 
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
    SEC. 202. OUTREACH ON AVAILABILITY OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
      AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a program of 
outreach to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to inform 
those employees of any mental health services, including telemedicine 
options, that are available to them.
    SEC. 203. PROTOCOLS TO ADDRESS THREATS AGAINST EMPLOYEES OF THE 
      DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure protocols are in 
effect to address threats from individuals receiving health care from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs directed towards employees of the 
Department who are providing such health care.
    SEC. 204. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES STUDY ON 
      ACCOUNTABILITY OF CHIEFS OF POLICE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
      AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTERS.
    The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study 
to assess the reporting, staffing, accountability, and chain of command 
structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs police officers at 
medical centers of the Department.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.

Answer:  (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on May 4, 2017 .  Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 TITLE I--EMPLOYEES GENERALLY (Sec. 102) This bill directs federal agencies (excluding any entity that is an element of the intelligence community) to give priority to an employee transfer request if the Merit Systems Protections Board (MSPB) grants a stay of a personnel action at the request of: (1) the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) if the OSC determines the personnel action was taken, or is to be taken, as a result of a prohibited personnel practice; or (2) the employee if the individual is in probationary status and seeks corrective action. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall report to Congress on retaliation against employees in probationary status. (Sec. 103) The bill: (1) prohibits any employee who has the authority to take a personnel action to access the medical records of another employee or applicant for employment, (2) authorizes disciplinary action against supervisors for retaliation against whistleblowers.  (Sec. 105) Agencies must: (1) refer information about employee suicides to the OSC, (2) train supervisors on responding to complaints alleging whistleblower protections violations, (3) provide information regarding whistleblower protections to new employees during probationary periods, (4) inform employees of the role of the OSC and the MSPB with regard to whistleblower protection, and (5) make information about such protections available on agency websites.  TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES (Sec. 201) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must: (1) submit a plan to prevent unauthorized access to the medical records of VA employees; (2) conduct an outreach program to inform its employees of available mental health services, including telemedicine options; and (3) ensure protocols are in effect to address threats against VA employees providing health care.  (Sec. 204) The GAO shall assess the reporting, staffing, accountability, and chain of command structure of the VA police officers at VA medical centers.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mining Jobs Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. PERMITS FOR DREDGED OR FILL MATERIAL.

    Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
1344) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following:
    ``(c) Authority of Administrator To Disapprove Specifications.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator, in accordance with 
        this subsection, may prohibit the specification of any defined 
        area as a disposal site, and may deny or restrict the use of 
        any defined area for specification as a disposal site, in any 
        case in which the Administrator determines, after notice and 
        opportunity for public hearings and consultation with the 
        Secretary, that the discharge of those materials into the area 
        will have an unacceptable adverse effect on--
                    ``(A) municipal water supplies;
                    ``(B) shellfish beds and fishery areas (including 
                spawning and breeding areas);
                    ``(C) wildlife; or
                    ``(D) recreational areas.
            ``(2) Deadline for action.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Administrator shall--
                            ``(i) not later than 30 days after the date 
                        on which the Administrator receives from the 
                        Secretary for review a specification proposed 
                        to be issued under subsection (a), provide 
                        notice to the Secretary of, and publish in the 
                        Federal Register, a description of any 
                        potential concerns of the Administrator with 
                        respect to the specification, including a list 
                        of measures required to fully address those 
                        concerns; and
                            ``(ii) if the Administrator intends to 
                        disapprove a specification, not later than 60 
                        days after the date on which the Administrator 
                        receives a proposed specification under 
                        subsection (a) from the Secretary, provide to 
                        the Secretary and the applicant, and publish in 
                        the Federal Register, a statement of 
                        disapproval of the specification pursuant to 
                        this subsection, including the reasons for the 
                        disapproval.
                    ``(B) Failure to act.--If the Administrator fails 
                to take any action or meet any deadline described in 
                subparagraph (A) with respect to a proposed 
                specification, the Administrator shall have no further 
                authority under this subsection to disapprove or 
                prohibit issuance of the specification.
            ``(3) No retroactive disapproval.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The authority of the 
                Administrator to disapprove or prohibit issuance of a 
                specification under this subsection--
                            ``(i) terminates as of the date that is 60 
                        days after the date on which the Administrator 
                        receives the proposed specification from the 
                        Secretary for review; and
                            ``(ii) shall not be used with respect to 
                        any specification after issuance of the 
                        specification by the Secretary under subsection 
                        (a).
                    ``(B) Specifications disapproved before date of 
                enactment.--In any case in which, before the date of 
                enactment of this subparagraph, the Administrator 
                disapproved a specification under this subsection (as 
                in effect on the day before the date of enactment of 
                the Mining Jobs Protection Act) after the specification 
                was issued by the Secretary pursuant to subsection 
                (a)--
                            ``(i) the Secretary may--
                                    ``(I) reevaluate and reissue the 
                                specification after making appropriate 
                                modifications; or
                                    ``(II) elect not to reissue the 
                                specification; and
                            ``(ii) the Administrator shall have no 
                        further authority to disapprove the modified 
                        specification or any reissuance of the 
                        specification.
                    ``(C) Finality.--An election by the Secretary under 
                subparagraph (B)(i) shall constitute final agency 
                action.
            ``(4) Applicability.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), 
        this subsection applies to each specification proposed to be 
        issued under subsection (a) that is pending as of, or requested 
        or filed on or after, the date of enactment of the Mining Jobs 
        Protection Act''.

SEC. 3. REVIEW OF PERMITS.

    Section 404(q) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1344(q)) is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``(q) Not later 
        than'' and inserting the following:
    ``(q) Agreements; Higher Review of Permits.--
            ``(1) Agreements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than'';
            (2) in the second sentence, by striking ``Such agreements'' 
        and inserting the following:
                    ``(B) Deadline.--Agreements described in 
                subparagraph (A)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Higher review of permits.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (C), 
                before the Administrator or the head of another Federal 
                agency requests that a permit proposed to be issued 
                under this section receive a higher level of review by 
                the Secretary, the Administrator or other head shall--
                            ``(i) consult with the head of the State 
                        agency having jurisdiction over aquatic 
                        resources in each State in which activities 
                        under the requested permit would be carried 
                        out; and
                            ``(ii) obtain official consent from the 
                        State agency (or, in the case of multiple 
                        States in which activities under the requested 
                        permit would be carried out, from each State 
                        agency) to designate areas covered or affected 
                        by the proposed permit as aquatic resources of 
                        national importance.
                    ``(B) Failure to obtain consent.--If the 
                Administrator or the head of another Federal agency 
                does not obtain State consent described in subparagraph 
                (A) with respect to a permit proposed to be issued 
                under this section, the Administrator or Federal agency 
                may not proceed in seeking higher review of the permit.
                    ``(C) Limitation on elevations.--The Administrator 
                or the head of another Federal agency may request that 
                a permit proposed to be issued under this section 
                receive a higher level of review by the Secretary not 
                more than once per permit.
                    ``(D) Effective date.--This paragraph applies to 
                permits for which applications are submitted under this 
                section on or after January 1, 2010.''.

Answer:
Mining Jobs Protection Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to repeal provisions that require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to consult with the Secretary of the Army before denying or restricting the use of specified areas as disposal sites for discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.

Requires the Administrator to provide, within specified timeframes, to: (1) the Secretary notice of any concerns with respect to a specification for a disposal site proposed to be issued under a permit to discharge into navigable waters; and (2) the Secretary and permit applicants the reasons for any disapproval of permits.

Removes the Administrator's authority to prohibit the specification of any defined area as a disposal site: (1) 60 days after the Administrator receives the proposed specification from the Secretary for review; and (2) once the Secretary has issued a permit for dredged or fill material. Authorizes the Secretary to reevaluate and reissue, or to elect not to reissue, a specification in any case in which, before the enactment of this Act, the Administrator disproved of a specification after it was issued by the Secretary.

Sets forth requirements that must be met before the Administrator or the head of another agency requests that a proposed permit for dredged or fill material receive a higher level of review by the Secretary.