,i  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ghbd  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #e1 #bjbf,mrs4   
,fis*ba* 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,f9/ad7       
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,ov]sight & ,gov]nm5t  
,re=m  ,a ,,bill  ,to ext5d :i/lebl[]   
protections to individuals :o disclose  
misuse ( ,f$]al funds adm9i/]$ by ,/ate 
& local (ficials1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4
 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,f$]al ,funds ,:i/lebl[] ,protection    
,ext5sion ,act4  #b4 ,ext5sion (        
:i/lebl[] protections to ,/ate-adm9i/]$ 
,f$]al funds ,subp>t ,f ( "p ,,iii (    
title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ 
by ins]t+ aft] *apt] #ge ! foll[+ new   
*apt]3  #gf ,protection ( ,:i/lebl[]s 9 
,f$]ally ,fund$ ,/ate ,programs  ,sec4  
#gfja4 ,def9itions4 #gfjb4 ,prohibit$   
p]sonnel practices4 #gfjc4 ,crim9al     
p5alties = retaliation4 #gfjd4 ,ref]ral 
= crim9al prosecution4 #gfje4 ,f$]al    
fund+ condition4  #gfja4 ,def9itions ,9 
?is *apt]3 7#a7 ,cov]$ individual ,! t]m

 cov]$ individual means any employee1   
contractor1 subgrantee1 or ag5t ( a     
,/ate or local gov]nm5t1 or ( a         
non-,f$]al entity1 adm9i/]+ or receiv+  
,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance4  7#b7 ,cov]$ 
(ficial ,! t]m cov]$ (ficial means any  
(fic]1 employee1 or ag5t ( a ,/ate or   
local gov]nm5t act+ 9 connection ) !    
adm9i/ration1 di/ribution1 or ov]sight (
 ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance4  7#c7       
,protect$ disclosure ,! t]m protect$    
disclosure means any lawful disclosure (
 in=mation t ! cov]$ individual         
reasonably believes evid5ces--  7,a7    
misuse1 wa/e1 fraud1 or abuse ( ,f$]al  
funds2  7,b7 a violation ( ,f$]al law   
relat+ to a f$]ally fund$ program2 or   
7,c7 gross mismanagem5t ( a program     
receiv+ ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance4      
#gfjb4 ,prohibit$ p]sonnel practices    
7a7 ,a cov]$ (ficial may n take or fail 
to take a p]sonnel action aga9/ a cov]$ 
individual because ( a protect$         
disclosure4  7b7 ,= purposes ( ?is      
section1 p]sonnel action includes-- 7#a7

 t]m9ation1 susp5sion1 demotion1 or     
reassignm5t2  7#b7 r$uction 9 pay or    
b5efits2  7#c7 significant *ange 9      
duties or responsibilities2  7#d7       
intimidation1 ?reats1 or h>assm5t2 or   
7#e7 any o!r mat]ially adv]se action4   
#gfjc4 ,crim9al p5alties = retaliation  
7a7 ,(f5se ,any cov]$ (ficial :o kn[+ly 
retaliates aga9/ a cov]$ individual =   
mak+ a protect$ disclosure "u ?is *apt] 
%all be subject to crim9al p5alties "u  
?is section4  7b7 ,p5alty /ructure      
,p5alties %all be impos$ accord+ to !   
level ( culpability3  7#a7 ,neglig5t    
retaliation ,a cov]$ (ficial :o engages 
9 retaliation due to neglig5ce %all be  
f9$ n m ?an #ej1jjj4  7#b7 ,kn[+        
retaliation ,a cov]$ (ficial :o kn[+ly  
engages 9 retaliation %all be f9$ n m   
?an #ajj1jjj1 imprison$ n m ?an #a ye>1 
or bo?4  7#c7 ,int5tional retaliation = 
p]sonal ga9 or concealm5t ,a cov]$      
(ficial :o retaliates ) ! int5t to      
conceal misuse ( ,f$]al funds or to     
obta9 p]sonal b5efit %all be f9$ n m ?an

 #bej1jjj1 imprison$ n m ?an #e ye>s1 or
 bo?4  #gfjd4 ,ref]ral = crim9al        
prosecution ,if a ,f$]al ag5cy or       
,inspector ,g5]al det]m9es t !re is     
reasonable cause to believe t           
retaliation prohibit$ "u ?is *apt] has  
occurr$1 ! ag5cy may ref] ! matt] to !  
,attorney ,g5]al = inve/igation &       
crim9al prosecution4  #gfje4 ,f$]al     
fund+ condition  7a7 ,z a condition (   
receiv+ ,f$]al f9ancial assi/ance1 ea*  
,/ate or local gov]nm5t %all c]tify     
compliance ) ?is *apt]4  7b7 ,failure to
 comply may result 9--  7#a7 corrective 
action requirem5ts2  7#b7 susp5sion (   
,f$]al funds2  7#c7 t]m9ation ( ,f$]al  
fund+ = ! affect$ program4  4  #c4      
,con=m+ am5dm5t ,! table ( *apt]s = "p  
,,iii ( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1  
is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to
 *apt] #ge ! foll[+ new item3  #gf4     
,protection ( ,:i/lebl[]s 9 ,f$]ally    
,fund$ ,/ate ,programs#gfja  4