this chapter applies, or person alleged to be such a contractor or subcontractor, and limited in application to those persons or circumstances plainly and unmistakably within the language and spirit of the exemption or exclusion. (ii) Clear and convincing evidence Any person asserting the applicability of an exemption or exclusion under this chapter shall prove such applicability by clear and convincing evidence. (2) No-less-protection rule (A) In general The Secretary shall not take any action to reduce a protection afforded under this chapter to a service employee through any regulation, guidance, opinion, ruling, standard, order, adjudicative decision, or other interpretation from the protection provided to the service employee through a prior regulation, guidance, opinion, ruling, standard, order, adjudicative decision, or other interpretation in effect on the day before the date of such action, unless such reduction is explicitly and specifically mandated by an Act of Congress. (B) Request for Congressional action The Secretary may submit a proposal to Congress for a reduction described in subparagraph (A), but shall not take any action described in such subparagraph without an explicit and specific mandate by an Act of Congress. (C) Standard of deference Notwithstanding chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, in any action for judicial review of an agency action under such chapter, a reviewing court shall defer to a regulation, guidance, opinion, ruling, standard, order, adjudicative decision, or other interpretation issued by the agency that increases or otherwise strengthens a protection afforded to a service employee under this chapter unless such regulation, guidance, opinion, ruling, standard, order, adjudicative decision, or other interpretation is plainly erroneous or inconsistent with this chapter. . (h) Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (1) In general Chapter 65 of title 41, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 6512. General standards for applying and interpreting