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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

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

Greenhouse: Senate Whistleblower Bill "Treats Whistleblowers as Second-class Citizens"

WASHINGTON

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."

Links:

Statement by Jane Turner and Dr. Frederic Whitehurst

Statement by Dr. David Lewis

Article by Julia Davis

Statement by Coleen Rowley on December 15, 2010
Countdown with Keith Olbermann (4:53)

Statement by NWC, the Federal Ethics Center, National Security Whistleblowers Colation and the No FEAR Coalition

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.