Grassley, McCaskill, Wyden: Bring Whistleblower Protections to Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today introduced legislation expanding protections for whistleblowers in the legislative branch.  The bill shields congressional employees from retaliation when they expose fraud, waste or misconduct.  The bill is modeled after policies that protect whistleblowers in many executive branch agencies.

 

“Thirty years ago, I led the charge to apply a dozen workplace laws to Capitol Hill.  There’s no reason not to do the same with whistleblower protections.  For many years, whistleblowers in the federal bureaucracy have raised the alarm when they encounter fraud, waste or abuse at their agency, saving taxpayer dollars and improving government operations.  And for many years, Congress has worked to protect them from retaliation.  Employees on Capitol Hill should also be encouraged to disclose problems without fear of retaliation.  This bill simply applies to Congress the same philosophy that government workers should not be punished for disclosing wrongdoing,” Grassley said.

 

“It’s important that Congress lead by example—it’s ridiculous to have and advocate for whistleblower protections across the federal government and not have those same protections in place for Congressional staff. Our staff can be in a unique position to identify and report waste, fraud, and abuse and protecting them from retaliation is critically important,” McCaskill said.

 

“Whistleblowers are a crucial line of defense against government waste, fraud and abuse. No branch of government – including Congress – should be allowed to retaliate against whistleblowers working to protect our democracy. That’s why, as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus, I am joining Sens. Grassley and McCaskill to give whistleblowers in the legislative branch the types of protections granted by law to executive branch workers,” Wyden said.

 

The Senators’ bill is modeled after the Whistleblower Protection Act, which establishes a process for whistleblowers in many executive branch agencies to disclose concerns and prohibits agency authorities from retaliating against employees for such disclosures. The bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to include the same principles.  Grassley has led the effort to bring whistleblower protections to Capitol Hill since 2007

 

Text of the Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act is available HERE.

 

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