[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
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