H.R. 4043: Whistleblower Protection Extension Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-10-12 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 340.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-10-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Blum, Rod [R-IA-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 340. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Whistleblower Protection Extension Act of 2017

Plain summary

Whistleblower Protection Extension Act of 2017 This bill permanently extends the requirement for inspectors general (IGs) to designate a Whistleblower Protection Ombudsman to educate agency employees about prohibitions on retaliation, and the rights and remedies against retaliation, for protected disclosures. The bill renames the Whistleblower Protection Ombudsman as the Whistleblower Protection Coordinator. It also expands the responsibilities of a Whistleblower Protection Coordinator to include the following: educating employees about specific rights and remedies (e.g., the means by which an employee may seek review of an allegation of reprisal); assisting the IG in promoting the timely and appropriate handling and consideration of protected disclosures and allegations of reprisal; and assisting the IG in facilitating communication and coordination with other relevant persons and entities regarding timely and appropriate handling and consideration of protected disclosures, allegations of reprisal, and other general matters. A Whistleblower Protection Coordinator must have direct access to the IG to accomplish such responsibilities. The bill also expands the responsibilities of the Council on the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to include the following: facilitating the work of the Whistleblower Protection Coordinators; and developing best practices for promoting the timely and appropriate handling and consideration of protected disclosures, allegations of reprisal, and other matters. Finally, the bill adds reporting requirements for semiannual reports. Specifically, with respect to instances of whistle-blower retaliation by an official, an Office of Inspector General must report on (1) the actual consequences imposed on the official who engaged in retaliation, and (2) whether a settlement agreement was entered with that official.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Whistleblower Protection Extension Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Blum, Rod [R-IA-1] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4043, Whistleblower Protection Extension Act of 2017 (2017-12-07)

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr4043.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr4043 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115