[House Report 115-345] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 115th Congress } { Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session } { 115-345 ====================================================================== 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 DISCIPLINE FOR FEDERAL SUPERVISORS WHO RETALIATE AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; PROVIDING FOR PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 16, 2017, THROUGH OCTOBER 20, 2017; AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES _______ October 10, 2017.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Collins of Georgia, from the Committee on Rules, submitted the following R E P O R T [To accompany H. Res. 562] The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House Resolution 562, by a record vote of 8 to 3, report the same to the House with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION The resolution provides for consideration of S. 585, the Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, under a closed rule. The resolution provides one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The resolution provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order against provisions in the bill. The resolution provides one motion to recommit. Section 2 of the resolution provides that on any legislative day during the period from October 16, 2017, through October 20, 2017: the Journal of the proceedings of the previous day shall be considered as approved; and the Chair may at any time declare the House adjourned to meet at a date and time to be announced by the Chair in declaring the adjournment. Section 3 of the resolution provides that the Speaker may appoint Members to perform the duties of the Chair for the duration of the period addressed by section 2 of the resolution as though under clause 8(a) of rule I. Section 4 of the resolution provides that it shall be in order at any time on the legislative day of October 12, 2017, or October 13, 2017, for the Speaker to entertain motions that the House suspend the rules and that the Speaker or his designee shall consult with the Minority Leader or her designee on the designation of any matter for consideration pursuant to this section. EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS Although the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill, the Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. Although the resolution waives all points of order against provisions in the bill, the Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. COMMITTEE VOTES The results of each record vote on an amendment or motion to report, together with the names of those voting for and against, are printed below: Rules Committee record vote No. 119 Motion by Ms. Slaughter to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #1, offered by Rep. Cummings (MD), which addresses specific concerns of constitutionality raised by the Administration by revising provisions regarding mandatory disciplinary procedures to ensure that managers who violate whistleblowers' rights will be held accountable. Defeated: 3-8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Cole........................................ Nay Ms. Slaughter..................... Yea Mr. Woodall..................................... Nay Mr. McGovern...................... Yea Mr. Burgess..................................... ............ Mr. Hastings of Florida........... ............ Mr. Collins..................................... Nay Mr. Polis......................... Yea Mr. Byrne....................................... Nay Mr. Newhouse.................................... Nay Mr. Buck........................................ Nay Ms. Cheney...................................... Nay Mr. Sessions, Chairman.......................... Nay ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rules Committee record vote No. 120 Motion by Mr. McGovern to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #2, offered by Rep. Cummings (MD), which protects the privacy of whistleblowers who commit suicide by requiring the permission of the whistleblower's next of kin before the agency head can disclose details about the whistleblower and his or her death. Defeated: 3-8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Cole........................................ Nay Ms. Slaughter..................... Yea Mr. Woodall..................................... Nay Mr. McGovern...................... Yea Mr. Burgess..................................... ............ Mr. Hastings of Florida........... ............ Mr. Collins..................................... Nay Mr. Polis......................... Yea Mr. Byrne....................................... Nay Mr. Newhouse.................................... Nay Mr. Buck........................................ Nay Ms. Cheney...................................... Nay Mr. Sessions, Chairman.......................... Nay ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rules Committee record vote No. 121 Motion by Mr. Polis to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #3, offered by Rep. Cummings (MD), which expands protections for employees who suffer retaliation and discrimination by establishing a system to track the resolution of complaints, expanding transparency regarding findings of discrimination or retaliation, and ensuring that individuals who run programs that protect employees from retaliation and discrimination report directly to agency heads. Prohibits nondisclosure agreements that seek to restrict employee disclosures of waste, fraud, or abuse to Congress, Office of Special Counsel, or Inspectors General. Defeated: 3-8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Cole........................................ Nay Ms. Slaughter..................... Yea Mr. Woodall..................................... Nay Mr. McGovern...................... Yea Mr. Burgess..................................... ............ Mr. Hastings of Florida........... ............ Mr. Collins..................................... Nay Mr. Polis......................... Yea Mr. Byrne....................................... Nay Mr. Newhouse.................................... Nay Mr. Buck........................................ Nay Ms. Cheney...................................... Nay Mr. Sessions, Chairman.......................... Nay ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rules Committee record vote No. 122 Motion by Mr. Cole to report the rule. Adopted: 8-3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Cole........................................ Yea Ms. Slaughter..................... Nay Mr. Woodall..................................... Yea Mr. McGovern...................... Nay Mr. Burgess..................................... ............ Mr. Hastings of Florida........... ............ Mr. Collins..................................... Yea Mr. Polis......................... Nay Mr. Byrne....................................... Yea Mr. Newhouse.................................... Yea Mr. Buck........................................ Yea Ms. Cheney...................................... Yea Mr. Sessions, Chairman.......................... Yea ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [all]