S. 582: Office of Special Counsel Reauthorization Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-03-08 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-03-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 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

Office of Special Counsel Reauthorization Act of 2017

Plain summary

Office of Special Counsel Reauthorization Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) The Office of Special (OSC) is an independent investigative and prosecutorial agency that protects federal employees from retaliation for whistle-blower disclosures and prohibited personnel practices. This bill expands the scope of OSC's authority by authorizing it: (1) to have timely access to material that relates to an investigation involving whistle-blower disclosures and prohibited personnel practices, (2) to request from any agency information or assistance necessary for it to carry out its duties, and (3) to require an agency to provide it with any record or other information that relates to an investigation, review, or inquiry. This new OCS authority shall not apply to any entity that is an element of the intelligence community, unless the OSC is investigating or carrying out activities relating to certain enforcement actions. A claim of common law privilege by an agency, or an agency employee, shall not prevent the OSC from obtaining such materials. (Sec. 3) Agencies must inform their employees of: (1) whistle-blower protections available to new employees during a probationary period, (2) the role of the OSC and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and (3) appeal rights. Agency websites must contain whistle-blower protection information. Supervisory training is authorized with respect to employee complaints alleging a violation of whistle-blower protections. (Sec. 4) The accessing of the medical record of another employee as a part of, or otherwise in furtherance of, any prohibited personnel practices is itself a prohibited personnel practice. The bill extends the period for the OSC to determine whether information it receives from an employee or applicant discloses: (1) a violation of a law, rule, or regulation; or (2) gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. The OSC may petition the MSPB to order corrective action if an agency's investigation was commenced, expanded, or extended in retaliation for certain employee disclosures or protected activities, even if no personnel action is taken. (Sec. 5) The head of an agency shall refer to the OSC for examination and appropriate action any instance where a whistle-blower has committed suicide (Sec. 6) Whistle-blower protections must be incorporated into supervisory employee job requirements and performance appraisals in the Senior Executive Service. Agencies must report annually to Congress on the number of supervisor performance appraisals in which supervisors were found to have unacceptable performance ratings under whistle-blower protection criteria. (Sec. 7) The bill authorizes discipline against supervisors based on retaliation against whistle-blowers. (Sec. 8) The OSC may terminate an investigation of an alleged prohibited personnel practice under certain circumstances, without further inquiry or an opportunity for the individual who submitted the allegation to respond, if: (1) the same allegation had previously been made by the individual and was investigated by the OSC or filed by the individual with the MSPB, (2) the OSC does not have jurisdiction, or (3) the individual knew or should have known of the alleged practice three years before the OSC received the allegation. (Sec. 9) The OSC must enter into at least one agreement with an agency inspector general to receive, review, and investigate complaints by OSC employees. OSC employees may communicate directly with such inspector general without prior approval from the OSC. (Sec. 10) The bill expands the OSC's annual reporting requirements to require additional information on investigations, disciplinary actions, subpoenas, and other matters. If an allegation submitted to the OSC is resolved by an agreement between an agency and an individual, the OSC shall report to Congress on the agreement. (Sec. 11) The OSC shall design and establish a pilot program under which it shall conduct a survey of individuals who have filed a complaint or disclosure with the OSC. (Sec. 12) The OSC must prescribe regulations for carrying out its functions within two years after enactment of this bill. (Sec. 13) The bill amends the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 to reauthorize the OSC through FY2022.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Office of Special Counsel Reauthorization Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 582, Office of Special Counsel Reauthorization Act of 2017 (2017-05-15)

Cosponsors on this site

Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] reported raising $1.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (5)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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).
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s582.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s582 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115