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119-s-1473119th CongressWALLET

Stop Stealing our Chips Act

Sponsored By: Senator Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

Passed Senate

Summary

This bill would create a federal whistleblower incentive and protection program to reward people who provide original information leading to fines or forfeiture under export controls. It also creates a Treasury Export Compliance Accountability Fund to pay awards and support enforcement.

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  • Individual whistleblowers can receive awards equal to 10 percent to 30 percent of the amount collected from a related fine when their original information leads to a fine or forfeiture. Reports may be submitted anonymously and information to establish eligibility must be provided under penalty of perjury.
  • Workers are protected from employer retaliation for lawful reporting. Prevailing plaintiffs can get reinstatement, double back pay with interest, and legal fees, and claims must be filed within 6 years or at most 10 years in some circumstances.
  • The Secretary of Commerce must launch the program and a secure online portal within 120 days and decide report credibility within 60 days. A new Export Compliance Accountability Fund in the Treasury will receive fines from whistleblower-based actions and pay awards and program costs without further appropriation.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Cash awards for export rule tips

If enacted, you would be able to report export-rule violations through a new online portal within 120 days, even anonymously through a lawyer. If your original tip leads to a fine or forfeiture, you would get 10%–30% of the money collected; joint filers would split the award. To qualify, you must submit under penalty of perjury and not get the info by breaking the law or from certain internal roles, unless limited exceptions apply. The Secretary would judge credibility within 60 days, open an investigation if credible, and send updates within 90 days and then every 90 days. A new Treasury fund would pay awards and run the program without yearly budget approval.

Stronger job protections for whistleblowers

If enacted, employers would be barred from firing, demoting, or punishing you for lawful whistleblowing to your boss, law enforcement, or the Secretary. If you sue in federal court and win, you would get reinstatement, double back pay with interest, and your legal costs. You must file within 6 years of the retaliation, or within 3 years after you learned key facts, but never more than 10 years after. These protections would not cover knowingly false reports.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

SD • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 4/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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