The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Lindsey M. Williams (202) 342-1903
or email at lmw@whistleblowers.org

Key Members of Congress Pledge Support for Whistleblower Protection

Today, during a press
conference Senator Claire McCaskill and Representative Chris Van Hollen
committed to continuing their efforts to obtain whistleblower
protection for all federal employees, including national security
employees.

Senator McCaskill highlighted the need to continue
the fight for whistleblower protection stating, "we have to do more."
She acknowledged that whistleblowers are the "most efficient way to fix
problems in government."

WASHINGTON

Today, during a press
conference Senator Claire McCaskill and Representative Chris Van Hollen
committed to continuing their efforts to obtain whistleblower
protection for all federal employees, including national security
employees.

Senator McCaskill highlighted the need to continue
the fight for whistleblower protection stating, "we have to do more."
She acknowledged that whistleblowers are the "most efficient way to fix
problems in government."

Representative Van Hollen stated that
denying protections for national security whistleblowers is "absurd on
its face," and he pledged "we are going to prevail" in the battle for
whistleblower protections for all federal employees.

In support
of the
legislation, National Whistleblowers Center President Stephen M. Kohn
presented findings from three separate and independent corporate
studies which all concluded that strong whistleblower
protection is the key to detecting and deterring fraud. One of the
studies, the Ethics Resource Center's 2007 National Government Ethics Survey, predicted a "future rise in misconduct if deliberate action is not taken."

To read the National Whistleblowers Center paper "Why Whistleblowing Works And What Congress Must Do About It" please click here.

To read and sign the NWC petition for a national whistleblower law please click here.

Since 1988, the NWC and attorneys associated with it have supported whistleblowers in the courts and before Congress and achieved victories for environmental protection, government contract fraud, nuclear safety and government and corporate accountability.