A bill to require the termination of any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is found to have retaliated against a whistleblower.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 18, 2015

Requires the termination of any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is found to have:

retaliated or threatened to retaliate against any employee or applicant for employment for disclosing what the employee or applicant reasonably believes to be a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety (provided the disclosure is not specifically prohibited by law);

retaliated or threatened to retaliate against any employee or applicant for exercising, or assisting another individual in exercising, any appeal, complaint, or grievance right granted by any law, rule, or regulation; or

implemented or enforced certain nondisclosure policies, forms, or agreements that conflict with whistleblower protections and employee rights.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO] · D–MO

Committees

Veterans' Affairs Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Mar 18, 2015
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 18, 2015
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Mar 18, 2015 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Jan 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.788 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.788, 114th Congress: A bill to require the termination of any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is found to have retaliated against a whistleblower.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/788

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2015-03-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s788/BILLS-114s788is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T17:02:09Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.788 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.788 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.788, 114th Congress: A bill to require the termination of any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is found to have retaliated against a whistleblower.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/788

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2015-03-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s788/BILLS-114s788is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T17:02:09Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.788 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.788 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.788, 114th Congress: A bill to require the termination of any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is found to have retaliated against a whistleblower.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/788

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2015-03-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s788/BILLS-114s788is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T17:02:09Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.788 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.788 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.788, 114th Congress: A bill to require the termination of any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is found to have retaliated against a whistleblower.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/788

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2015-03-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s788/BILLS-114s788is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-14T17:02:09Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.788 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.