WASHINGTON - March 12 - The National Whistleblowers Center thanks Representative Van Hollen (D-MD) for his continued support and strongly urges Congress to enact this critical legislation immediately.  Whistleblower protection is absolutely essential to ensure accountability over billions of dollars of stimulus spending.

As National Whistleblowers Center President Stephen M. Kohn noted "Without protecting federal employees, the oversight and accountability of taxpayer dollars will be virtually ineffective.  Congress must act now to protect American taxpayers from fraud."  

In a report issued this week, the National Whistleblowers Center cited independent studies that reveal whistleblowers are the single most important resource for detecting and preventing fraud.  The Ethics Resource Center's National Government Ethics Survey found that 52% of federal employees observed misconduct in the past year.  Additionally, 24% of federal government employees who observe misconduct choose not to report it, fearing retaliation from management.  Of those who reported misconduct, 83% only reported it to their supervisor or managers (conduct not protected under the current federal Whistleblower Protection Act).