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Greenhouse: Senate Bill "Treats Whistleblowers as Second-class Citizens" |
Washington, D.C. December 15, 2010. Army Corps of Engineers whistleblower Bunnatine H. Greenhouse issued a statement today on the Senate version of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (S. 372) moving through the lame duck Congress. Ms. Greenhouse is a well-known public spokeswoman on the importance of passing stronger whistleblower protections for federal employees. She testified in support of the House version of the bill (H.R. 1507) before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on May 14, 2009. She was invited to testify in her personal capacity about the waste, fraud, and abuse she observed while serving as Procurement Executive and Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting.
Ms. Greenhouse issued the following statement concerning the Senate whistleblower bill:
"The Senate recently passed S. 372, better
know as the Whistleblower Enhancement Act. The Senate's version of this
bill treats whistleblowers as second-class citizens, rolls back some
existing protections and leaves national security whistleblowers out in
the cold. The National Whistleblowers Center has called on the House of
Representatives to remove the poison pills pack into S. 372 and I
wholeheartedly agree."
Ms. Greenhouse's statement follows
statements by other federal employee whistleblowers who believe that S.
372 will not fulfill President Obama's campaign promise to protect all
federal employee whistleblowers, Jane Turner (25 year veteran FBI
employee), Dr. Frederic Whitehurst (Former FBI Supervisory Special
Agent), Dr. David Lewis (EPA scientist whistleblower), Julia Davis
(Department of Homeland Security whistleblower) and Coleen Rowley (FBI
whistleblower). There are many other federal employee whistleblowers
who believe that getting a few enhancements for some, does not justify
taking away existing protections for all federal employees.
NWC
Executive Director Stephen M. Kohn issued the following statement:
"Now
that it is clear the House will not rush to pass flawed legislation, it
is more important than ever that the whistleblower community unite to
enact truly effective whistleblower protections for federal employees in
the next Congress. It is readily apparent that S. 372 was and still is
a flawed vehicle to accomplish our common goal."
Links:
Statement
by Jane Turner and Dr. Frederic Whitehurst
Statement
by Dr. David Lewis
Article
by Julia Davis
Statement
by Coleen Rowley on December 15, 2010 Countdown with Keith Olbermann
(4:53)
Statement
by NWC, the Federal Ethics Center, National Security Whistleblowers
Colation and the No FEAR Coalition
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Tags: Press Releases
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