,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bgih  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,novemb] #f1 #bjai,mr4 
,paul introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,homel& ,security & ,gov]nm5tal ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to ensure :i/lebl[]s :o   
are ,gov]nm5t employees or contractors  
receive adequate protection4  #a4 ,%ort 
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !         
,:i/lebl[] ,protection ,act ( #bjai4    
#b4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act-- 7#a7 ! t]m
 ,f$]al contractor means a contractor or
 subcontractor 7at any ti]7 ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates ,gov]nm5t2 &  7#b7 ! t]m p]sonnel
 action-- 7,a7 has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 
section #bcjb ( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code2 &  7,b7 includes o!r discipl9>y  
or corrective action & p]=mance         
evaluations by an employ]4  #c4         
,:i/lebl[] protections = contractors    
7a7 ,prohibit$ p]sonnel practices ,an   
employee ( a ,f$]al contractor :o has   
au?ority to take1 direct o!rs to take1  
recomm5d1 or approve any p]sonnel       

action1 %all n1 ) respect to su*        
au?ority--  7#a7 take or fail to take1  
or ?reat5 to take or fail to take1 a    
p]sonnel action ) respect to any        
employee ( ! ,f$]al contractor or       
applicant = employm5t by ! ,f$]al       
contractor because (--  7,a7 any        
disclosure ( in=mation by ! employee ( !
 ,f$]al contractor or applicant =       
employm5t by ! ,f$]al contractor :i* !  
employee ( ! ,f$]al contractor or       
applicant = employm5t by ! ,f$]al       
contractor reasonably believes          
evid5ces--  7i7 any violation ( any law1
 rule1 or regulation2 or  7ii7 gross    
mismanagem5t1 a gross wa/e ( funds1 an  
abuse ( au?ority1 or a sub/antial &     
specific dang] to public heal? or       
safety1  if su* disclosure is n         
specifically prohibit$ by law & if su*  
in=mation is n specifically requir$ by  
,executive ord] to be kept secret 9 !   
int]e/ ( national def5se or ! conduct ( 
=eign affairs2 or  7,b7 any disclosure  
to ! ,special ,c\nsel1 or to !          

,inspector ,g5]al ( an ag5cy or ano!r   
employee designat$ by ! head ( ! ag5cy  
to receive su* disclosures1 ( in=mation 
:i* ! employee ( ! ,f$]al contractor or 
applicant = employm5t by ! ,f$]al       
contractor reasonably believes          
evid5ces--  7i7 any violation 7o!r ?an a
 violation ( ?is section7 ( any law1    
rule1 or regulation2 or  7ii7 gross     
mismanagem5t1 a gross wa/e ( funds1 an  
abuse ( au?ority1 or a sub/antial &     
specific dang] to public heal? or       
safety2 or  7#b7 take or fail to take1  
or ?reat5 to take or fail to take1 any  
p]sonnel action aga9/ any employee ( !  
,f$]al contractor or applicant =        
employm5t by ! ,f$]al contractor =      
employm5t because (--  7,a7 ! ex]cise ( 
any appeal1 compla9t1 or grievance "r   
grant$ by any law1 rule1 or regulation--
 7i7 ) reg>d to rem$y+ a violation (    
p>agraph 7#a72 or  7ii7 o!r ?an ) reg>d 
to rem$y+ a violation ( p>agraph 7#a72  
7,b7 te/ify+ = or o!rwise lawfully      
assi/+ any individual 9 ! ex]cise ( any 

"r ref]r$ to 9 subp>agraph 7,a77i7 or   
7ii72  7,c7 coop]at+ ) or disclos+      
in=mation to ! ,inspector ,g5]al 7or any
 o!r compon5t responsible = int]nal     
inve/igation or review7 ( an ag5cy1 or !
 ,special ,c\nsel1 9 accordance )       
applicable provisions ( law2 or  7,d7   
refus+ to obey an ord] t w\ld require ! 
individual to violate a law1 rule1 or   
regulation4  7b7 ,ag5cy action ,a ,f$]al
 ag5cy may n pressure a ,f$]al          
contractor to take1 fail to take1 or    
?reat5 to take or fail to take any      
p]sonnel action relat+ to an employee ( 
! ,f$]al contractor bas$ on a disclosure
 or action describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 or  
7#b7 ( subsection 7a74  7c7 ,retroactive
 effect ,?is section %all apply to a    
p]sonnel action tak5 or fail$ to be     
tak51 or ?reat5$ to be tak5 or fail$ to 
be tak5 be=e1 on1 or aft] ! date (      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  #d4 ,no t]m9ation 
or prosecution ( :i/lebl[]s ,congress   
reaffirms t no ,f$]al employee or       
employee ( a ,f$]al contractor %\ld be  

t]m9at$ or prosecut$ = mak+ protect$    
disclosures or any o!r disclosures z a  
:i/lebl[]4  #e4 ,ensur+ ,six? ,am5dm5t  
protections ,congress reaffirms t1 9 !  
case ( crim9al prosecutions & impea*m5ts
 aris+ f ! disclosures ( :i/lebl[]s1 !  
accus$ has ! "r to confront 8 or h]     
accus] 9 su* proce$+s & t "r is n       
sup]s$$ by ! :i/lebl[] protections4