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Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017

Public Law 115-73 · S. 585 · 115th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Oct 26, 2017 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)

Cosponsors (1): Sen. Joni Ernst

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 420 yea, 0 nay420–0
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

TITLE I--EMPLOYEES GENERALLY

(Sec. 102) This bill directs federal agencies (excluding any entity that is an element of the intelligence community) to give priority to an employee transfer request if the Merit Systems Protections Board (MSPB) grants a stay of a personnel action at the request of: (1) the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) if the OSC determines the personnel action was taken, or is to be taken, as a result of a prohibited personnel practice; or (2) the employee if the individual is in probationary status and seeks corrective action.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) shall report to Congress on retaliation against employees in probationary status.

(Sec. 103) The bill prohibits any employee who has the authority to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve of any personnel action to access the medical records of another employee or applicant for employment.

(Sec. 104) Agencies employing a supervisor who has committed a prohibited personnel action may propose: (1) a suspension of not less than three days, (2) a reduction in grade or pay, and (3) removal from the position. A supervisor must receive written notice specifying the reasons for the proposed action and the right of the supervisor to review the material which is relied on to support the reasons for the proposed action. A supervisor is entitled to 14 days following the notice to answer and furnish evidence in support of the answer.

(Sec. 105) Agencies must refer information about employee suicides to the OSC indicating whether, prior to the death of the employee, any disclosure of information was made evidencing: (1) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; (2) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial danger to public health or safety; or (3) whether any personnel action was taken against the employee as a result.

(Sec. 106) Agencies must provide training on how to respond to complaints alleging a violation of whistle-blower protections to: (1) any employee appointed to a supervisory position in the agency who has not previously served as a supervisor; and (2) on an annual basis, to all employees serving in a supervisory position.

(Sec. 107) Agencies must: (1) provide information regarding whistle-blower protections to new employees during probationary periods, (2) inform employees of the role of the OSC and the MSPB with regard to whistle-blower protection, and (3) make information about such protections available on agency websites.

TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES

(Sec. 201) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must submit a plan to Congress on efforts to prevent any unauthorized access to the medical records of VA employees.

(Sec. 202) The VA must conduct an outreach program to inform its employees of any mental health services, including telemedicine options.

(Sec. 203) The VA must ensure protocols are in effect to address threats against VA employees providing health care.

(Sec. 204) The GAO shall conduct a study to assess the reporting, staffing, accountability, and chain of command structure of the VA police officers at VA medical centers.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 115th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 420 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

420 yea0 nay13 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(188)

Republicans who voted yea(232)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 567 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 3042Related bill

    Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017

  • H.Res. 562Procedurally-related

    Providing for consideration of the bill (S. 585) to provide greater whistleblower protections for Federal employees, increased awareness of Federal whistleblower protections, and increased accountability and required di…

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 28 actions.

  1. Oct 26, 2017Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. Oct 24, 2017FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  3. Oct 12, 2017FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  4. FloorFloor · On passage Passed by recorded vote: 420 - 0 (Roll no. 568).House roll call 568
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 190 - 232 (Roll no. 567).House roll call 567
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. FloorFloor · POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the O'Halleran motion to recommit, the Chair put the question on the motion, and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. O'Halleran demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on …
  8. FloorFloor · The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
  9. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the O'Halleran motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House forthwith with an amendment to add a new section at the end of title …
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. O'Halleran moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
  11. FloorFloor · The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  12. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on S. 585.
  13. FloorFloor · Rule provides for consideration of S. 585 with 1 hour of general debate. Bill is closed to amendments. The resolution provides for proceedings during the period from October 16, 2017, through October 20, 2017; and provides for consideration of motions to suspend the rules.
  14. FloorFloor · Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 562.
  15. Oct 11, 2017FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 562 passed House.
  16. Oct 10, 2017FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 562 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of S. 585 with 1 hour of general debate. Bill is closed to amendments. The resolution provides for proceedings during the period from October 16, 2017, through October 20, 2017; and provide…
  17. May 26, 2017FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Discharged.
  20. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee conc…
  22. May 25, 2017FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  23. FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  24. May 4, 2017CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 57.
  25. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with amendments. With written report No. 115-44.
  26. Mar 15, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
  27. Mar 8, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  28. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.