,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ddgf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,august #f1 #bjbj,mrs4 ,feinstein 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,carper1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,whitehouse1 ,mr4 ,warner1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 and ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to provide protections for employees of1 former employees of1 and applicants for employment with ,federal agencies1 contractors1 and grantees whose right to petition or furnish information to ,congress is interfered with or denied4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,congressional ,whistleblower ,protection ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,protections for covered individuals ,section #gbaa of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,the right of employees and inserting the following3 7a7 ,in general ,the right of covered individuals 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,remedies 7#a7 ,administrative remedies 7,a7 ,in general ,a covered individual with respect to a ,federal agency 7other than a covered individual described in subparagraph 7,b71 7,c71 or 7,d77 who is aggrieved by a violation of subsection 7a7 may seek corrective action under sections #abad and #abba in the same manner as an individual who is aggrieved by a prohibited personnel practice described in section #bcjb7;b77#h74 7,b7 ,,fbi employees ,a covered individual with respect to the ,federal ,bureau of ,investigation who is aggrieved by a violation of subsection 7a7 may seek corrective action under section #bcjc4 7,c7 ,intelligence community employees ,a covered individual with respect to a covered intelligence community element 7as defined in section #aajd7;a7 of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cbcd7;a777 who is aggrieved by a violation of subsection 7a7 may seek corrective action under section #aajd of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cbcd7 or subsection 7b77#g7 or 7j7 of section #cjja of that ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #ccda74 7,d7 ,contractor employees ,a covered individual with respect to a ,federal agency who is an employee of1 former employee of1 or applicant for employment with1 a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 subgrantee1 or personal services contractor 7as those terms are used in section #bdji of title #aj and section #dgab of title #da7 of the agency and who is aggrieved by a violation of subsection 7a7 of this section may seek corrective action under section #bdji of title #aj or section #dgab of title #da4 7,e7 ,burden of proof ,the burdens of proof under subsection 7e7 of section #abba shall apply to an allegation of a violation of subsection 7a7 of this section made under subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 7,c71 or 7,d7 of this paragraph in the same manner as those burdens of proof apply to an allegation of a prohibited personnel practice under such section #abba4 7,f7 ,class of individuals entitled to seek corrective action ,the right to seek corrective action under subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 7,c71 or 7,d7 shall apply to a covered individual who is an employee of1 former employee of1 or applicant for employment with1 a ,federal agency described in the applicable subparagraph or a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 subgrantee1 or personal services contractor 7as those terms are used in section #bdji of title #aj and section #dgab of title #da7 of such a ,federal agency1 notwithstanding the fact that a provision of law referenced in the applicable subparagraph does not authorize one or more of those types of covered individuals to seek corrective action4 7#b7 ,private right of action 7,a7 ,in general ,if a final decision providing relief for a violation of subsection 7a7 alleged under subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 7,c71 or 7,d7 of paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection is not issued within #baj days of the date on which the covered individual seeks corrective action under the applicable subparagraph and there is no showing that the delay is due to the bad faith of the covered individual1 the covered individual may bring an action at law or equity for de novo review in the appropriate district court of the ,united ,states1 which shall have jurisdiction over the action without regard to the amount in controversy1 for lost wages and benefits1 reinstatement1 costs and attorney fees1 compensatory damages1 equitable or injunctive relief1 or any other relief that the court considers appropriate4 7,b7 ,jury trial ,an action brought under subparagraph 7,a7 shall1 upon the request of the covered individual1 be tried by the court with a jury4 7,c7 ,burden of proof ,the burdens of proof under subsection 7e7 of section #abba shall apply to an allegation of a violation of subsection 7a7 of this section in an action brought under this paragraph in the same manner as those burdens of proof apply to an allegation of a prohibited personnel practice under such section #abba4 7c7 ,definitions ,for purposes of this section-- 7#a7 the term covered individual1 with respect to a ,federal agency1 means an employee of1 former employee of1 or applicant for employment with-- 7,a7 the agency2 or 7,b7 a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 subgrantee1 or personal services contractor 7as those terms are used in section #bdji of title #aj and section #dgab of title #da7 of the agency2 and 7#b7 the term ,federal agency means an agency1 office1 or other establishment in the executive1 legislative1 or judicial branch of the ,federal ,government4 4