The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: Caitlin MacNeal,COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER,(202) 347-1122,cmacneal@pogo.org

DC Council Ahead of the Curve on Whistleblower Protections

Washington, DC, could soon have some of the strongest whistleblower
protection laws in the U.S. After being introduced last year, the
District's Whistleblower Protection Amendment Act of 2009 has been
passed unanimously by the DC Council, signed by the Mayor, and is projected to become law this week -- the only remaining hurdle is the mandated review by Congress.

WASHINGTON

Washington, DC, could soon have some of the strongest whistleblower
protection laws in the U.S. After being introduced last year, the
District's Whistleblower Protection Amendment Act of 2009 has been
passed unanimously by the DC Council, signed by the Mayor, and is projected to become law this week -- the only remaining hurdle is the mandated review by Congress.

POGO was also excited to learn about the origins of one particular provision in the Act -- according to members of the DC Council, POGO's congressional oversight handbook
inspired a provision that could allow lawmakers to withhold the salary
of any DC employee that retaliates against a whistleblower.

Hopefully the renewal of whistleblower protection laws in DC will
encourage local governments across the nation to modernize their own
whistleblower protection laws, in addition to deterring misconduct
towards whistleblowers here in the District.

POGO's recently published book, The Art of Congressional Oversight: A User's Guide to Doing It Right, can be ordered in POGO online store.

The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is an independent nonprofit that investigates and exposes corruption and other misconduct in order to achieve a more effective, accountable, open and honest federal government.