An act to reauthorize and rename the position of Whistleblower Ombudsman to be the Whistleblower Protection Coordinator
PL 115-192 (S.1869), enacted 06/25/2018

132 STAT. 1502 
PUBLIC LAW 115–192—JUNE 25, 2018 
Public Law 115–192 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To reauthorize and rename the position of Whistleblower Ombudsman to be the 
Whistleblower Protection Coordinator. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Whistleblower Protection 
Coordination Act’’. 
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(d) of the Inspector General 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 adjusting the margins accord-
ingly; 
(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 employees may seek 
review of any allegation of reprisal, including the 
roles of 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 availability of any alternative 
dispute mechanisms, and avenues for potential 
relief.’’; and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) assist the Inspector General in promoting the 
timely and appropriate handling and consideration of pro-
tected disclosures and allegations of reprisal, to the extent 
practicable, by the Inspector General; and 
‘‘(iii) assist the Inspector General in facilitating commu-
nication and coordination with the Special Counsel, the 
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Effi-
ciency, the establishment, Congress, and any other relevant 
Whistleblower 
Protection 
Coordination Act. 
5 USC app. 1 
note. 
June 25, 2018 
[S. 1869] 
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132 STAT. 1503 
PUBLIC LAW 115–192—JUNE 25, 2018 
entity regarding the timely and appropriate handling and 
consideration of protected disclosures, allegations of 
reprisal, and general matters regarding the implementation 
and administration of whistleblower protection laws, rules, 
and regulations.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Ombudsman’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Coordinator’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: 
‘‘(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 WHISTLE-
BLOWER PROTECTION.—The Council shall— 
‘‘(A) facilitate the work of the Whistleblower 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 Inspector General, develop best prac-
tices for coordination and communication in promoting the 
timely and appropriate handling and consideration of pro-
tected disclosures, allegations of reprisal, and general mat-
ters regarding the implementation 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 whistle-
blower retaliation, including information about the official 
found to have engaged in retaliation; and 
‘‘(B) what, if any, consequences the establishment 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: 
‘‘(4) whether the establishment entered into a settlement 
agreement with the official described in subsection (a)(20)(A), 
which shall be reported regardless of any confidentiality agree-
ment relating to the settlement agreement; and’’. 
(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 repealed. 
Consultation. 
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132 STAT. 1504 
PUBLIC LAW 115–192—JUNE 25, 2018 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1869 (H.R. 4043): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–510 (Comm. on Oversight and Government Reform) ac-
companying H.R. 4043. 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115–196 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 
Mar. 15, considered and passed Senate. 
June 7, considered and passed House. 
(2) RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by paragraph (1) shall take effect on November 26, 2017. 
Approved June 25, 2018. 
5 USC app. 3 
note. 
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