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Whistleblower Protection Act & Amendments
Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act Introduced in 111th Congress
The day following the National Whistleblower Assembly on March 12, 2009, Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Todd Platts (R-PA) introduced HR 1507 – the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2009 equivalent to the 110th Congress’ HR 985. Van Hollen and Platts were joined by House Government Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns (D.-NY), and Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D.-CA), and most recently Rep. Cummings (D-MD). The team is acting promptly to pass federal whistleblower rights as free standing legislation, after Senate conferees objected to including identical safeguards as amendments to the stimulus law. On May 14th the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing on HR 1507. Written testimonies can be found on the Make It Safe Coalition website. Live testimony of the hearing can be found here.
Senator Akaka (D-HI), ranking member of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, introduced S 372 – the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2009 equivalent to the 110th Congress’ S 274 The current Senate bill excludes two cornerstones covered by the House bill; full court access including jury trials, and coverage of national security employees. The Senate hearing on S 274 is scheduled for June 11, 2009.
Over 290 groups have joined a letter that urges swift passage of a restored Whistleblower Protection Act. If your organization would like to join this letter, please contact Shanna Devine at shannad@whistleblower.org or 202.457.0034 ext. 132. Click here to join the Citizens’ Whistleblower Petition.
Whistleblower Profiles: The Need for Reform
Frank Terreri - Federal Air Marshal
Rich Levernier - DOE Nuclear Security Specialist
Gabe Bruno - Federal Aviation Administration Manager
Michael Maxwell - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service
Michael German - FBI Agent
Program Highlight: Federal Whistleblower Protections Passed in House
January 28, 2009 -- The House of Representatives unanimously adopted, as part of the economic stimulus legislation, H.R. 1, an amendment by Todd Platts (R-PA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). The amendment adds landmark whistleblower protections for federal employees, restoring and strengthening the “Whistleblower Protection Act.”
Click here for GAP statements and to read an explanation of the amendment
Click here to read the press release (1.29)
Program Highlight: Make It Safe Coalition Sends Letter to Obama Urging WPA Rights
January 25, 2009 -- GAP, along with several other good government organizations in the Make It Safe Coalition, sent a letter just before inauguration to then President-elect Obama urging for stronger federal whistleblower rights under his administration, including a Presidential directive that there will be zero tolerance for retaliation, and a plan to repatriate exiled whistleblowers purged for defending the public.
Click here to read the letter to Obama
Click here to read the memo to the transition team
Click here to read a proposal for an Executive Order drafted in December 2008 by federal whistleblowers
To illustrate why better federal protections are needed for whistleblowers, GAP also detailed the case of Robert Maclean to the Obama team
Click here to read the fact sheet on whistleblower Robert MacLean
Click here to read GAP’s letter to the Obama team about MacLean
Program Highlight: Transition Memo to Obama
November 24, 2008 -- GAP has submitted a transition memo to the Obama-Biden transition team detailing solutions for inadequate federal whistleblower protections. In this memo, GAP details why President-elect Obama should ask Congress to prioritize passing the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. With all the competing priorities for the new Congress, it will take intervention from the new administration to ensure immediate passage.
Supporting government accountability by providing genuine protections to employees who expose waste, fraud and abuse will mark a drastic change from the current administration. Luckily, unlike so many other issues, the work is largely done. The bill is waiting for the President’s support and signature.
Click here for the transition memo
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