,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #hgd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #e1 #bjbe,mr4 ,peters introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to ensure that whistleblowers1 including contractors1 are protected from retaliation when a ,federal employee orders a reprisal1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,expanding ,whistleblower ,protections for ,contractors ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,defense contractor employees3 protection from reprisal for disclosure of certain information ,section #dgja of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 by striking ,an employee and all that follows through services contractor and inserting ,a protected individual2 and 7,,ii7 by striking disclosing and all that follows through evidence of2 and 7ii7 by striking subparagraphs 7,a71 7,b71 and 7,c7 and inserting the following subparagraphs3 7,a7 ,refusing to obey an order that would require the protected individual to violate a law1 rule1 or regulation related to any contract1 subcontract1 grant1 or subgrant4 7,b7 ,disclosing to a person or body described in paragraph 7#b7 information that the protected individual reasonably believes is evidence of the following3 7i7 ,gross mismanagement of any ,department of ,defense contract or grant1 any gross waste of ,department funds1 any abuse of authority relating to any ,department contract1 subcontract1 grant1 or subgrant1 or any violation of law1 rule1 or regulation related to any ,department contract or subcontract 7including the competition for or negotiation of a contract or subcontract7 or grant or subgrant4 7ii7 ,gross mismanagement of any ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration contract or grant1 any gross waste of ,administration funds1 any abuse of authority relating to an ,administration contract1 subcontract1 grant1 or subgrant1 or any violation of law1 rule1 or regulation related to any ,administration contract or subcontract 7including the competition for or negotiation of a contract or subcontract7 or grant or subgrant4 7iii7 ,a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety4 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking an employee and inserting a protected individual2 and 7ii7 by striking subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting the following subparagraph3 7,b7 it shall not be within the authority of an executive branch official to request that a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee engage in a reprisal prohibited by paragraph 7#a74 2 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by adding at the end the following subparagraph3 7,e7 ,propose appropriate disciplinary action against any executive branch official for any request made of a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee that subjected the complainant to a reprisal prohibited by subsection 7a74 2 and 7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#g7 and inserting the following paragraph3 7#g7 ,clarification for scope of waiver restrictions 7,a7 ,the rights1 forum1 and remedies provided for in this section may not be waived by any public or private agreement1 policy1 form1 or condition of employment1 including by any predispute arbitration agreement4 7,b7 ,no provision of the predispute arbitration agreement shall be valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of a dispute arising under this section4 2 7#c7 by striking subsection 7e7 and redesignating subsections 7f7 and 7g7 as subsections 7e7 and 7f71 respectively2 7#d7 in subsection 7e71 as so redesignated-- 7,a7 by striking an employee and inserting a protected individual2 and 7,b7 by striking the employee and inserting the protected individual2 and 7#e7 in subsection 7f71 as so redesignated1 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#h7 ,the term protected individual means-- 7,a7 a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee of the ,department of ,defense or the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration1 including-- 7i7 the government of each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 an ,indian tribe or authorized tribal organization1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,virgin ,islands1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 the government of any political subdivision of1 agency of1 or instrumentality of1 a government listed in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 an element of the intelligence community 7as defined in section #c of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc77 within the ,department of ,defense2 7,b7 an employee of a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee of the ,department of ,defense or the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration1 or a former employee of such contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee whose protected disclosure or engagement in any activity protected against reprisal under this section occurred prior to termination1 including an employee of-- 7i7 the government of each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 an ,indian tribe or authorized tribal organization1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,virgin ,islands1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 the government of any political subdivision of1 agency of1 or instrumentality of1 a government listed in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 an element of the intelligence community 7as defined in section #c of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc77 within the ,department of ,defense2 or 7,c7 a person performing personal services for the ,department of ,defense or the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration pursuant to a contractual agreement for the performance of personal services1 including a personal services contract or personal services agreement1 and who engages in an activity for which any reprisal is prohibited under subsection 7a71 including a person performing personal services pursuant such a contractual agreement for-- 7i7 the government of each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 an ,indian tribe or authorized tribal organization1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,virgin ,islands1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 the government of any political subdivision of1 agency of1 or instrumentality of1 a government listed in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 an element of the intelligence community 7as defined in section #c of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc77 within the ,department of ,defense4 4 #c4 ,enhancement of non-defense contractor protection from reprisal for disclosure of certain information ,section #dgab of title #da1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by striking paragraph 7#a7 and inserting the following paragraph3 7#a7 ,in general ,a protected individual may not be discharged1 demoted1 or otherwise discriminated against as a reprisal for the following3 7,a7 ,refusing to obey an order that would require the protected individual to violate a law1 rule1 or regulation related to any contract1 subcontract1 grant1 or subgrant4 7,b7 ,disclosing to a person or body described in paragraph 7#b7 information that the protected individual reasonably believes is evidence of the following3 7i7 ,gross mismanagement of any ,federal contract or grant1 any gross waste of ,federal funds1 any abuse of authority relating to any ,federal contract1 subcontract1 grant1 or subgrant1 or any violation of law1 rule1 or regulation related to any ,federal contract or subcontract 7including the competition for or negotiation of a contract or subcontract7 or grant or subgrant4 7ii7 ,a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety4 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking an employee and inserting a protected individual2 and 7ii7 by striking subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting the following subparagraph3 7,b7 it shall not be within the authority of an executive branch official to request that a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee engage in a reprisal prohibited by paragraph 7#a74 2 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,e7 ,propose appropriate disciplinary action against any executive branch official for any request made of a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee that subjected the complainant to a reprisal prohibited by subsection 7a74 2 and 7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#g7 and inserting the following paragraph3 7#g7 ,rights1 forum1 and remedies not waivable 7,a7 ,in general ,the rights1 forum1 and remedies provided for in this section may not be waived by any public or private agreement1 policy1 form1 or condition of employment1 including by any predispute arbitration agreement4 7,b7 ,validity ,no provision of the predispute arbitration agreement shall be valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of a dispute arising under this section4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7e7-- 7,a7 by striking an employee and inserting a protected individual2 and 7,b7 by striking the employee and inserting the protected individual2 7#d7 by striking subsection 7f7 and redesignating subsections 7g7 and 7h7 as subsections 7f7 and 7g71 respectively2 and 7#e7 in subsection 7f71 as so redesignated1 by inserting after paragraph 7#b7 the following new paragraph3 7#c7 ,the term protected individual means-- 7,a7 a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee of the ,federal ,government1 including-- 7i7 the government of each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 an ,indian tribe or authorized tribal organization1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,virgin ,islands1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 the government of any political subdivision of1 agency of1 or instrumentality of1 a government listed in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 an element of the intelligence community 7as defined in section #c of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc772 7,b7 an employee of a contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee of the ,federal ,government or a former employee of such contractor1 subcontractor1 grantee1 or subgrantee whose protected disclosure or engagement in any activity protected against reprisal under this section occurred prior to termination1 including an employee of-- 7i7 the government of each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 an ,indian tribe or authorized tribal organization1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,virgin ,islands1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 the government of any political subdivision of1 agency of1 or instrumentality of1 a government listed in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 an element of the intelligence community 7as defined in section #c of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc772 or 7,c7 a person performing personal services for the ,federal ,government pursuant to a contractual agreement for the performance of personal services1 including a personal services contract or personal services agreement1 including a person performing personal services pursuant to such a contractual agreement for-- 7i7 the government of each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 an ,indian tribe or authorized tribal organization1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,virgin ,islands1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 or any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 the government of any political subdivision of1 agency of1 or instrumentality of1 a government listed in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 an element of the intelligence community 7as defined in section #c of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc774 4