After a decade-long struggle to secure credible whistleblower protections for federal employees, it appears that there's now a light at the end of the tunnel. The Senate is poised to pass the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2010 (S. 372), but the bill has been snared in the gridlock over tax cuts.
Once that's sorted out, which could happen as soon as tomorrow, we hope to be on our way to making these significant whistleblower and taxpayer protections law. POGO and allies in the Make It Safe Coalition are urging House leadership and champions of federal whistleblowers like Representatives Van Hollen, Platts, Towns and Issa, to immediately take up and pass the Senate bill without changes so that it can become law before the bill expires at the end of the 111th Congress later this month.
Some of the highlights of the bill: it restores a solid infrastructure of rights, due process and remedies. Significantly, it begins a paradigm shift to normal court access for federal whistleblowers, including access to a jury trial for the first time. It also expands rights for intelligence and national security employees, TSA baggage handlers, and federal scientists. Click here for the expanded description of the enhancements in S. 372.
The bill does not include every reform that POGO has sought, but it will dramatically improve the status quo. As POGO Director of Public Policy Angela Canterbury explained to the Center for Public Integrity, “Despite some limitations, the bill is still a landmark advance of whistleblower rights.” And although one group that litigates high-profile whistleblower cases has indicated it is not completely satisfied with the bill, S. 372 enjoys massive support in the whistleblower community. Just last month, more than 60 groups—including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), which together represent more than 750,000 federal workers—urged President Obama and Congressional leadership to make the passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act a top priority.
Individual whistleblowers, including Robert MacLean, Colleen Rowley, and Frank Serpico, have also tossed their hats in the ring, co-signing their own letter to the President and congressional leadership calling for passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act.
Let's hope that Congress doesn't waste this opportunity to enact substantial good government reforms.
We'll be keeping a close eye on the tax cut showdown in the Senate tomorrow, and will be sure to let you know of any important developments. In the meantime, we encourage readers to get in touch with their Members of Congress and urge them to make the passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (S. 372) a top priority.
-- Bryan Rahija
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