January 28, 2009: The House of Representatives unanimously adopted the amendment to the stimulus legislation.
January 27, 2009: Joined with 259 other organizations, NCAC signed a letter initiated by the Government Accountability Project to strengthen rights for federal whistleblowers. A group organizations signed their support of an amendment to economic stimulus legislation. The standing legislation built in whistleblowing protections for federal employees charged with overseeing spending, federal contracters, and state and local recipients, but did not strengthen whistleblower protections for federal workers. Among things, the amendment, by Todd Platts (R-PA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), would restore whistleblower protections from previous legislation, not allow personnel to issue gag orders, and protect whistleblowers from retaliation.
The letter states:
Whistleblower protection is a foundation for any change in which the public can believe. It does not matter whether the issue is economic recovery, prescription drug safety, environmental protection, infrastructure spending, national health insurance, or foreign policy. We need conscientious public servants willing and able to call attention to bureaucratic corruption on behalf of the taxpayers.
Read the original letter:
http://www.whistleblower.org/doc/2008/CoalitionLetter.pdf
Read the amendment:
http://www.whistleblower.org/content/press_detail.cfm?press_id=1581
Read a summary of the legislation and an explanation:
http://www.whistleblower.org/doc/2008/Whistleblower%20Protection%20Act%20Amendments%20-%20hand-out.pdf
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