Take Action: House Votes TODAY on Adding Whistleblower Protections to Stimulus Bill

In addition to the $700 billion that is already being spent on Treasury's bailout effort, President Obama has asked Congress for an additional $825 billion to revamp the economy.  But in order to ensure that our taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely, we must give federal employees the protections they need to blow the whistle on waste, fraud, and abuse without fear of retaliation.

We wrote a few weeks ago that the House's version of the economic stimulus bill was missing whistleblower protection language for federal employees. Today we have a unique opportunity to add this language to the stimulus bill--but we need your help right away!

Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Todd Platts (R-PA) have introduced an amendment to the stimulus bill that is identical to the House's version of the Whistleblower Protection Act, which passed last year but got held up while Congress attempted to reconcile the House and Senate versions.  Every day that passes without this legislation in place has very real consequences for scores of federal whistleblowers who still lack viable legal rights.

The House is voting TODAY at 3:00 P.M. on whether to add the Platts/Van Hollen amendment to the stimulus bill.  Please take a moment to contact your Representative and tell them to vote YES on the Platts/Van Hollen amendment.  Let them know that you support extending protections to the federal employees who will be working on the front lines to ensure accountability in the economic stimulus effort.

Click here to look up your Representative's phone number or to email them directly.  And please encourage your friends and family to take action as well.

-- Michael Smallberg

UPDATE (3:15 P.M.): The House is currently debating the Platts/Van Hollen amendment.

UPDATE 2 (3:25 P.M.): The amendment just passed by voice vote!

Comments

[Posted on: Feb 06, 2009 at 11:26 AM]

At this time there is a major group of federal employees who are not protected by the Whistleblower Act. These are the employees of the United States Postal Service! Their right for protection under this act was removed under the Postal Service Reform in the 1970's. This goes hand in hand with the fact that the Postal Service is the only federal agencie who's members are not entitled to protection under the Merit Systems Protection Board, with the exception of preference eligible veterans, managers, and personel who work in classified positions. One should ask " why, out of all the federal employees, is the postal service denied appeal rights under the Merit Systems Protection Board, which includes protection under Whistleblower".

[Posted on: Jan 29, 2009 at 04:20 PM]

Dear Readers, 1/29/2009

Briefly as a follow-up I would like to mention that hopefully the HOPE and ENTHUSIASM of our US Legislatures will transfer into communicable Legislatures and in Legislative decisions with at least SOME!!bi-partisn votes and not the so-called if not the seemingly if not blasphemous party lines as we have just witnessed.

As our President Obama went to your Republican Leadership and Party directly and within his first week in Office a more seemingly truthful, comprehensive, proper and forthright, diverse and unified and individual responses, clarifications and/or debates and votes should have been accomodated and hopefully will be forthcomming within our US Senate.

Again, my apologies for my continued exasperated frustrations and I will be glad to allow and/or provide for corrections to the above two paragraphs.

Again, I express my thankful appreciation to our US Congressional Legislatures in their implmentation and passage of the Platts//Van Hollen Amendment HR985 'Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Restoration Act'.

Additionally and as I presume is well know and that it is my suggestion that this current HR985 WPA should be brought to a full floor vote, passed and implemented immediately regardless of the pending HR1.

Also, as I hopefully and seemingly presume I should qualify for relief that Mr. Devine, Mr. Kohn and Mr. Amey will accomodate to assist me within any further Attorney Requirements that I may be expected and that upon the results of those procrastinated and successful adjudications that should the Magistrate or Presiding Official inquire, as previously mentioned to Mr. Devine, "Who is going to pay for all this" that I will be heard and hopefully supported in regard and reference to the Sabersky Plan.

Thank you and all for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Axel
Axel V. Sabersky

[Posted on: Jan 29, 2009 at 12:51 PM]

Pelosi Statement on Whistleblower Protections Added to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

http://speaker.house.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=0983

[Posted on: Jan 28, 2009 at 07:16 PM]

Todd is not just a Congressman who understands the needs to strengthen our rights, but he is also an advocate for us all. He understands efficiency comes from within if possible and wants to make every employee to feel as if they are like a POGO or GAP, or an Army of one when they see the fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement etc….

I have dealt with Todd previously and his family and some of my family are friends. One thing I can say is his family values and work ethics shows here today in his actions to put such an amendment forth at times of such a crisis. I would like to believe the vote is an indicator of how many politicians believe the lax whistleblower laws may be part of the root cause to our economic crisis today.

I would ask that we each take a moment and write to say Thank you to Congressman Platts and Congressman Van Hollen in appreciation to their service to us and America.

[Posted on: Jan 28, 2009 at 04:08 PM]

Dear Mr. Michael Smallberg, 1/28/2009
Dear POGO,

Thank you for the up to the minute updates on this very significant (and expected as US Constitionally mandated) Amendmendment and especially as it is my only link to these HR1 Hearings.

Also my continued appreciation to your POGO, NWC and GAP and supporting Entities for your continued tremendous painstaking due dillegent efforts and support towards the Fidelity, Integrity and Bravery and within this HR1 Amendment that is hopefully and seemingly and as expected a overwhelming tremendous, proper and forthright, protection and restoration cornerstone and backstop backbone of and towards our great Country and Democracy and endeavors thereof and a compliment and with a well deserved congratulations and accomplishment to all in our US Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches of our US Government in facilitating the first step towards the passage and implementation of this important Amendment.

Thank you and all for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Axel
Axel V. Sabersky