Meanwhile, conferees dropped several other provisions that had been in earlier versions of the bill, including language added by the Senate designed to expand certain whistleblower protections designed to overcome what supporters term overly restrictive decisions by federal courts. The provisions would have included a guarantee of protection no matter to whom a disclosure is made, and the option to appeal cases to federal appellate courts other than the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals—which currently has exclusive jurisdiction and which handed down the contested rulings. Conferees gave no reason for dropping the language, although the Bush administration has opposed similar language that has been proposed as separate legislation in recent years. The action likely means that Congress won’t consider the issue again until next year.