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.”
