,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #hhfj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,decemb] #c1 #bjbj,mr4
 ,pappas introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'     
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to make c]ta9     
improvem5ts 9 ! laws relat+ to :i/lebl[]
 protection at ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,/r5g!n+
 ,,va ,:i/lebl[] ,protection ,act (     
#bjbj4  #b4 ,indep5d5ce ( ,(fice (      
,acc\ntability & ,:i/lebl[] ,protection 
f ,g5]al ,c\nsel ,subsection 7e7 (      
section #cbc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by ins]t+ 7#a7   
be=e ,! ,(fice2 &  7#b7 by add+ at ! end
 ! foll[+ new p>agraphs3  7#b7 ,! ,g5]al
 ,c\nsel ( ! ,dep>tm5t %all e/abli% an  
,(fice ( ,g5]al ,c\nsel = ! ,(fice (    
,acc\ntability & ,:i/lebl[] ,protection4
 ,su* ,(fice1 & ! employees ( su*       
,(fice1 %all be indep5d5t ( ! ,(fice ( !
 ,g5]al ,c\nsel ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#c7 ,! 

,g5]al ,c\nsel ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 or any    
employee ( ! ,(fice ( ! ,g5]al ,c\nsel (
 ! ,dep>tm5t1 may n directly or         
indirectly provide any recomm5dation1   
advisory op9ion1 or au?oritative        
decision = any matt] relevant to a      
:i/lebl[] case "u ! jurisdiction ( !    
,(fice & ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y4  7#d7   
,no employee ( ! ,(fice ( ! ,g5]al      
,c\nsel ( ! ,dep>tm5t may be detail$1   
reassign$1 or o!rwise employ$ by !      
,(fice ( ,acc\ntability & ,:i/lebl[]    
,protection be=e ! date t is two ye>s   
aft] ! date on :i* su* employee ceases  
to be an employee ( ! ,(fice ( ! ,g5]al 
,c\nsel ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  4  #c4 ,te*nical
 assi/ance & guidance = :i/lebl[]s  7a7 
,9 g5]al ,sub*apt] ,,ii ( *apt] #g ( su*
 title is am5d$ by add+ at ! end !      
foll[+ new section3  #gcd4 ,te*nical    
assi/ance = :i/lebl[]s  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! 
,assi/ant ,secret>y = ,acc\ntability &  
,:i/lebl[] ,protection %all-- 7#a7 make 
all reasonable ef=ts to-- 7,a7 guide1   
advise1 & assi/ a :i/lebl[] reg>d+ a    

:i/lebl[]'s rights & ! abilities &      
au?orities ( diff]5t entities t assi/ or
 respond to :i/lebl[]s2  7,b7 obta9 all 
evid5ce necess>y to sub/antiate !       
compla9t ( ! :i/lebl[] ( any alleg$--   
7i7 violation ( any law1 rule1 or       
regulation2  7ii7 gross mismanagem5t2   
7iii7 wa/e ( funds2  7iv7 abuse (       
au?ority2  7v7 specific dang] to public 
heal? or safety2 or  7vi7 c5sor%ip      
relat$ to rese>*1 analysis1 or te*nical 
in=mation2 &  7#b7 provide = an optional
 alt]native dispute resolution program1 
:i* %all include attempts to m$iate     
resolutions or f9d reassignm5ts =       
,dep>tm5t employees involv$ 9 :i/lebl[] 
allegations4  7b7 ,%>+ ( records ,z "p (
 ! assi/ance provid$ "u ?is section1 !  
,assi/ant ,secret>y %all make all       
reasonable ef=ts to obta9 & %>e relevant
 records to ! claimant t ! claimant     
adequately id5tifies to ! ,secret>y4    
7c7 ,:i/lebl[] def9$ ,9 ?is section1 !  
t]m :i/lebl[] has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9
 section #cbc7;h7 ( ?is title4  4  7b7  

,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at 
! beg9n+ ( su* *apt] is am5d$ by ins]t+ 
aft] ! item section #gcc ! foll[+ new   
item3  #gcd4 ,te*nical assi/ance =      
:i/lebl[]s4  4  #d4 ,expansion (        
:i/lebl[] protections  7a7 ,cl>ification
 ( prohibit$ p]sonnel action ,section   
#gca7;c77#c7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ mak+ a ref]ral
 to bo>ds ( lic5sure aft] negative pe]  
review4  7b7 ,function ( ,(fice (       
,acc\ntability & ,:i/lebl[] ,protection 
,section #cbc ( su* title1 z am5d$ by   
section #b1 is fur!r am5d$-- 7#a7 9     
subsection 7c77#a71 by add+ at ! end !  
foll[+ new subp>agraph3  7,j7 ,)\t      
affect+ o!r /atutory rights or rem$ies1 
issu+ b9d+ decisions = tempor>y relief  
:5 a ,dep>tm5t employee demon/rates1 by 
a prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce1 t a         
prohibit$ p]sonnel action 0 a contribut+
 factor ) respect to alleg$ retaliation 
aga9/ a ,dep>tm5t employee by a         
,dep>tm5t sup]visor4  2 &  7#b7 9       
subsection 7g71 by add+ at ! end !      

foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#e7 ,! t]m       
prohibit$ p]sonnel action has ! mean+   
giv5 su* t]m 9 section #gca7;c7 ( ?is   
title4  4  7c7 ,anti-,retaliation       
protection = s5ior executives           
,subsection 7e7 ( section #gad ( su*    
title1 z am5d$ by subsection 7c71 is    
fur!r am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+   
new p>agraph3  7#d7 ,not)/&+ subsection 
7h77#a77;,a71 = purposes ( ?is          
subsection1 ! t]m cov]$ individual      
includes an individual occupy+ a s5ior  
executive position 7z def9$ 9 section   
#gac7;d7 ( ?is title74  4  #e4          
,requirem5t = regulations ,n lat] ?an "o
 ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y =           
,acc\ntability & ,:i/lebl[] ,protection 
( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all  
issue regulations to c>ry out all       
activities "u section #cbc ( title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by ?is     
,act4