---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 30502"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "30502"
heading: "Whistleblower protection"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/30502"
units:
  - "Subtitle III — Administrative Provisions"
  - "Chapter 305 — Management and Review"
---

# §30502. Whistleblower protection

- (a) **In General.—** Not later than 1 year after December 30, 2005, the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) shall transmit to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan describing steps to be taken by the [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) to protect from retaliation [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) employees who raise concerns about substantial and specific dangers to public health and safety or about substantial and specific factors that could threaten the success of a mission. The plan shall be designed to ensure that [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) employees have the full protection required by law. The [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) shall implement the plan not more than 1 year after its transmittal.
- (b) **Goal.—** The [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) shall ensure that the plan describes a system that will protect employees who wish to raise or have raised concerns described in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Plan.—** At a minimum, the plan shall include, consistent with Federal law—
  - (1) a reporting structure that ensures that the officials who are the subject of a whistleblower’s complaint will not learn the identity of the whistleblower;
  - (2) a single point to which all complaints can be made without fear of retribution;
  - (3) procedures to enable the whistleblower to track the status of the case;
  - (4) activities to educate employees about their rights as whistleblowers and how they are protected by law;
  - (5) activities to educate employees about their obligations to report concerns and their accountability before and after receiving the results of the investigations into their concerns; and
  - (6) activities to educate all appropriate [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) Human Resources professionals, and all [Administration](/usc/51/10101.md?p=1) managers and supervisors, regarding personnel laws, rules, and regulations.
- (d) **Report.—** Not later than February 15 of each year beginning February 15, 2007, the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) shall transmit a report to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the concerns described in [subsection (a)](#a) that were raised during the previous fiscal year. At a minimum, the report shall provide—
  - (1) the number of concerns that were raised, divided into the categories of safety and health, mission assurance, and mismanagement, and the disposition of those concerns, including whether any employee was disciplined as a result of a concern having been raised; and
  - (2) any recommendations for reforms to further prevent retribution against employees who raise concerns.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3367.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 30502 | 42 U.S.C. 16618. | Pub. L. 109–155, title I, § 110, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2914. |

In subsection (a), the date “December 30, 2005” is substituted for “the date of enactment of this Act” to reflect the date of enactment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–155, 119 Stat. 2895).

In subsections (a) and (d), the words “Committee on Science and Technology” are substituted for “Committee on Science” on authority of Rule X(1)(o) of the Rules of the House of Representatives, adopted by House Resolution No. 6 (110th Congress, January 5, 2007).

In subsection (d), the words “Not later than February 15 of each year beginning February 15, 2007” are substituted for “Not later than February 15 of each year beginning with the year after the date of enactment of this Act” for clarity.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Jan. 5, 2011.