S. 2390 · 114th Congress
Federal Bureau of Investigation Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2015
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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GrassleySponsor11 cosponsors · 6 D, 5 R
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Leahy
RJ
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Johnson
MK
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Kirk
CM
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McCaskill
TT
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Tillis
RW
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Wyden
OH
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Hatch
EM
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Markey
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Baldwin
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Lee
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Heinrich1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Federal Bureau of Investigation Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2016
What it does: CRS summary · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Apr 14, 2016
Federal Bureau of Investigation Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2016
(Sec. 2) This bill revises whistle-blower protections for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employee or job applicant who discloses wrongdoing to an appropriate official.
Specifically, it prohibits an FBI or Department of Justice (DOJ) employee from taking or failing to take a personnel action (e.g., demotion) with respect to an FBI employee or applicant because of a protected disclosure. A protected disclosure is a disclosure of information to an appropriate official which an employee or applicant reasonably believes evidences: (1) a violation of a law, rule, or regulation; or (2) waste, fraud, or abuse. The bill expands the list of appropriate officials who may receive a protected disclosure to include a supervisor in an employee's direct chain of command.
Additionally, the bill sets forth procedures for filing, investigating, adjudicating, and reviewing whistle-blower retaliation complaints.
An FBI employee or applicant may file a complaint with DOJ's Office of Inspector General (OIG), which must investigate and decide whether reasonable grounds exist to believe that a prohibited personnel action occurred.
If either party files an objection to the OIG's decision, then an administrative law judge (ALJ) must review it, on the record, and issue a written decision. The ALJ's determination becomes final, unless it is appealed to or reviewed by DOJ. Any ALJ or DOJ determination is subject to judicial review.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Federal Bureau of Investigation Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2016
Latest action (May 25, 2016): By Senator Grassley from Committee on the Judiciary filed written report. Report No. 114-261.
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Dec 10, 2015
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.