WASHINGTON – April 30 – Over 50 public interest groups, and whistleblowers from across the United States, are planning the first-ever “Whistleblower Week in Washington” scheduled for May 13-19, 2007 in Washington DC. Scheduled events will include press conferences on major whistleblower issues, seminars and panels attended by leading whistleblowers and Congressional-related events. Most events will be open to the press.
Among the groups participating in Whistleblower Week in Washington are the National Whistleblowers Center, the No FEAR Institute (NFI), the Government Accountability Project (GAP), Doctors for Open Government, Semmelweis Society International, the National Security Whistleblower Coalition, the Veterans Affairs Whistleblower Coalition, the Liberty Coalition, “Project On Government Oversight (POGO)”, and the Make it Safe Coalition have committed to the event.
Whistleblower Week was sparked by passage of The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007 in the U.S. House of Representatives and the issuance of a veto threat by President George Bush.
“There is overwhelming grass roots support for strong whistleblower protections. Not even President Bush’s veto threat will slow down the momentum for this law. Once it is passed, we are certain he will sign it into law. The House has already passed the law with a veto-proof majority. Whistleblower Week in Washington is a first step in ensuring that the Senate follows through and enacts the law with overwhelming bi-partisan support.” said Stephen M. Kohn, the President of the National Whistleblowers Center.
