Washington, D.C. June 8, 2009. Statement issued by Stephen M. Kohn, Executive Director of the National Whistleblowers Center regarding today’s hearing on whistleblower protections before the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Colombia:
“We thank Senator Daniel Akaka for conducting this very significant hearing. The testimony confirms, once again, that all federal employees need effective whistleblower protections, including full court access and the right to a jury trial.”
“The reforms advocated during the hearing are needed to fix the breakdown in the regulatory system. Warnings that our nation was at risk to terrorist attack went unheeded. Warnings that the banking system may collapse were ignored. Direct evidence that billions of dollars in contracts were illegally awarded to politically connected companies was covered-up. The workers who courageously reported these abuses were silenced or fired.”
“Fear, retaliation and intimidation have no place in the federal government. The hearings demonstrated that federal workers who risk their jobs to do the ‘right thing’ need Congress’ full support.”
For more information go to the National Whistleblowers Center’s Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection page.
