Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - July 17, 2006)
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
By Mr. GRASSLEY:
S. 3676. A bill to amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to apply whistleblower protections available to certain executive branch employees to legislative branch employees, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise today to announce that I am introducing a bill that will extend whistleblower protections currently available to certain executive branch employees to legislative branch employees.
This bill is long overdue. The Office of Compliance has called for these changes on numerous occasions in recent years, and they are very supportive of this bill.
I have fought for whistleblowers for many years. Whistleblowers are the key to exposing a dysfunctional bureaucracy. Government agencies too often want to cover up their mistakes. Without insiders being brave enough to uncover these violations or waste, the American taxpayer would continue to pay for them. These people should not be punished for bringing the misdeeds to light.
Whistleblowers in the executive branch have helped me do my job of oversight. We have done a good job to make sure that whistleblowers in the executive branch are protected. It is simply not fair, nor is it good governance for Congress to enact whistleblower protections on the other branches of Government without giving its own employees the same consideration. This bill merely extends those same protections that other Government employees enjoy to Congress's own employees.
I fully back hard-working Government employees who serve to protect our country, and I hope my colleagues will join me. Congress needs to make sure that its own employees can speak up without retaliation when they blow the whistle on fraud, waste, or abuse.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of this bill be printed in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
S. 3676
http://thomas.loc.gov/