Washington, DC - Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Senator Susan M. Collins (R-Maine) today reintroduced the Federal Employee Protection of Disclosures Act, to strengthen the existing Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA). They were joined in this effort by Senators Grassley, Levin, Lieberman, Leahy, Voinovich, Carper, Durbin, Pryor, and Lautenberg.
"The Federal Employee Protection of Disclosures Act addresses many court decisions that have eroded protections for federal employees and have ignored congressional intent. Our legislation ensures that federal whistleblowers are protected from retaliatory action when notifying the public and government leaders of waste, fraud, and abuse. If we fail to protect whistleblowers, then our efforts to improve government management, protect the public, and secure the nation will also fail," Senator Akaka said. "Given that the U.S. will be fighting the War on Terror for years to come and that funding such operations requires significant resources, it is imperative that government funds are spent wisely. That is why federal employees must be confident that they can disclose government waste, fraud, and abuse without fear of retaliation. Restoring credibility to the WPA is no less than a necessity."
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) added: "Congress has consistently supported the principle that federal employees should not be subject to prior restraint or punishment from disclosing wrongdoing. This should give federal workers the peace of mind that if they speak out, they will be protected. Full whistleblower protections will also help ensure that Congress and our Committee have access to the information necessary to conduct proper oversight."
Specifically, the legislation:
Clarifies congressional intent that federal employees are protected for any disclosure of waste, fraud, or abuse - including those made as part of an employee's job duties;
Provides an independent determination as to whether the loss or denial of a security clearance is retaliation against a whistleblower; and
Suspends the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals sole jurisdiction over federal employee whistleblower cases for five years, which would ensure a fuller review of a whistleblower's claim.
The Federal Employee Protection of Disclosures Act was approved by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in the 108th and 109th Congress, and passed the Senate last year as part of the FY 07 Defense Authorization Act.
