March 14, 2007

Ellsworth Strengthens Fiscal Accountability

Supports Whistleblower Protection Act

WASHINGTON-Continuing his crusade to protect taxpayers' dollars, Rep. Brad Ellsworth today voted to strengthen protections for those who report government waste, fraud, and abuse. The House passed the bill this afternoon.

"Federal employees are in the best position to identify and report waste, fraud, and abuse in our government," said Ellsworth. "We must ensure whistleblowers can expose these problems without fear of retribution."

The bill will strengthen critical protections for federal workers and employees of federal contractors, insulating them from retaliation by their agencies and companies.

"By encouraging reporting of these abuses, the bill protects taxpayers' dollars and increases accountability for the funds we spend," said Ellsworth. "It's a commonsense approach, and I'm proud to support it."

Ellsworth's support for the Whistleblower Protection Act is part of his continuing effort to bring fiscal accountability to Washington. In the first 100 hours of the legislative session, he supported measures to require pay-as-you-go budgeting, increase transparency in earmarks, and strengthen ethics rules. Tomorrow, Ellsworth will support a measure in the House to crack down on the use of no-bid and cost-plus contracts.

"These votes are about changing the way Washington works and restoring accountability in a system that has been broken for far too long," said Ellsworth. "I look forward to finding more ways to protect taxpayers' dollars and ensure our money is being spent wisely."

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