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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Mary Jane Wilmoth: (202) 342-1902, mjw@whistleblowers.org

Grassroots Coalition Pushes to Establish July 30th as National Whistleblower Day

WASHINGTON

Today, over fifty grassroots advocacy groups and individual whistleblowers joined together to support the creation of a National Whistleblower Day. In a letter to President Obama and Congressional leaders, they stated the importance of the establishment of July 30th as a day to recognize the critical role whistleblowers play in maintaining the integrity of our nation.

The letter related the history of the first whistleblower law, which our Founding Fathers unanimously passed on July 30, 1778, recognizing the right of all citizens to report "misconduct, frauds and misdemeanors" to the "appropriate authority."

If established the coalition looks for a National Whistleblower Day to be a day set aside for:

"Each federal agency use that day as an opportunity to set the 'tone at the top,' calling public attention to the contributions whistleblowers have made to American democracy and their own agencies. The legislation should mandate that during the week upon which July 30th falls each year all federal agencies should highlight the role whistleblowers have played in their agencies to combat waste, fraud, and abuse and enforce the laws of the land."

Read the full July 27, 2015 letter.

The National Whistleblower Center believes it is important to change the culture of retaliation that often results in destroying whistleblowers' careers. Therefore, the National Whistleblower Center has issued an Action Alert to garner grassroots support to push for the establishment of July 30th as National Whistleblower Day.

Related links:

July 27, 2015 Letter to President & Congressional Leaders

Learn more about National Whistleblower Day: www.nationalwhistleblowerday.org

The Whistleblower's Handbook: www.whistleblowershandbook.com

NWC Action Alert: Demand the President and Congress Pass National Whistleblower Day!

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.