((a)) ** Merit principles; “personnel action” defined**

((1)) All personnel actions with respect to career members and career candidates in the Service (including applicants for career candidate appointments) shall be made in accordance with merit principles.

((2)) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term “personnel action” means—

((A)) any appointment, promotion, assignment (including assignment to any position or salary class), award of performance pay or special differential, within-class salary increase, separation, or performance evaluation, and

((B)) any decision, recommendation, examination, or ranking provided for under this chapter which relates to any action referred to in subparagraph (A).

((b)) ** Rules and regulations; discrimination; reprisals for disclosure of information; submission of reports, evaluations, or recommendations; freedom from prohibited personnel practices** The Secretary shall administer the provisions of this chapter and shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to ensure that members of the Service, as well as applicants for appointments in the Service—

((1)) are free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, geographic or educational affiliation within the United States, or political affiliation, as prohibited under ;

((2)) are free from reprisal for—

((A)) a disclosure of information by a member or applicant which the member or applicant reasonably believes evidences—

((i)) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or

((ii)) mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety,

((B)) a disclosure to the Special Counsel of the Merit Systems Protection Board, or to the Inspector General of an agency (including the Inspector General of the Department of State and the Foreign Service) or another employee designated by the head of the agency to receive such disclosures, of information which the member or applicant reasonably believes evidences—

((i)) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or

((ii)) mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety;

((3)) are free to submit to officials of the Service and the Department any report, evaluation, or recommendation, including the right to submit such report, evaluation, or recommendation through a separate dissent channel, whether or not the views expressed therein are in accord with approved policy, unless the report, evaluation, or recommendation was submitted with the knowledge that it was false or with willful disregard for its truth or falsity; and

((4)) are free from any personnel practice prohibited by .

((c)) ** Withholding or disclosure of information to Congress** This section shall not be construed as authorizing the withholding of information from the Congress or the taking of any action against a member of the Service who discloses information to the Congress.

((d)) ** Minority recruitment program**

((1)) The Secretary shall establish a minority recruitment program for the Service consistent with .

((2)) Omitted.

((e)) ** Applicability to other judicial or statutory rights or remedies** This section shall not be construed to extinguish or lessen any effort to achieve equal employment opportunity through affirmative action or any right or remedy available to any employee or applicant for employment in the civil service under—

((1)) , prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin;

((2)) sections 631 and 633a of title 29, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age;

((3)) , prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex;

((4)) sections 791 and 794a of title 29, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability; or

((5)) any provision of law, rule, or regulation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of marital status or political affiliation.