Action Item - Protect Government Whistleblowers

The Bill of Rights Defense Committee is joining with the National Whistleblower Center in an effort to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected against waste, fraud, and abuse. NWC was successful in getting the House of Representatives to include an amendment to the stimulus legislation that would protect federal employees from retaliation when they "blow the whistle" on waste, fraud, and abuse. Now that the Senate has passed its version of the stimulus package, the House and the Senate will conference to decide whether or not the whistleblower amendment becomes a part of the final legislation. This is a historic opportunity to protect your tax dollars; if the whistleblower protections aren't enacted now, we're afraid they may never be.

This whistleblower protection for federal employees is essential. To show you why, here is a message from Halliburton whistleblower Bunny Greenhouse:

My name is Bunny Greenhouse. I am the former Procurement Executive and highest-ranking Army Corps of Engineers civilian procurement official.

Shortly before the Iraq War commenced, I blew the whistle on improper contracting concerning the award of a multi-billion dollar no-bid, cost plus contract to Halliburton/KBR for the reconstruction of Iraq.

I was concerned that improper contracting activity would cost the taxpayers billions--and it did. The contract should not have been awarded. From my inside prospective, it was clear that the "fix was in"--the contract was going to be awarded to Halliburton no matter what I said or did.

Those who should have protested the contract remained silent. And their silence is not surprising because, as federal employees, we have no meaningful whistleblower protection! We can be fired for reporting fraud. We can lose our careers simply for doing our job and trying to protect the taxpayer.

I know this is true. It happened to me. The top brass demanded that I drop my protests. I refused. The top brass--many of whom had longstanding relations with government contractors--retaliated. They removed me from the Senior Executive Service and from anything having to do with contract oversight. When I went to federal court to demand protection the judge dismissed my case because as a federal employee I had no protection.

The bottom line is that without access to independent courts, real judges and juries, whistleblowers don't stand a chance, and fairness and transparency will not see the light day.

Only Congress can guarantee government whistleblowers will be protected. BORDC and the NWC urge you to contact your representatives and senators and tell them how important it is that whistleblower protection be included in the final stimulus package.

Send a letter to your senators and representatives now! Then, pass this letter on to your friends, family, and coworkers.

Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Address: 8 Bridge Street, Suite A, Northampton, MA 01060
Web: www.bordc.org/
Email: info@bordc.org
Telephone: 413-582-0110
Fax: 413-582-0116