US passes whistleblower protection law

[scubadiver]

http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20070313155344338

http://www.whistleblowers.org/



House Overwhelmingly Approves Whistleblower Enhancement Act

Washington, DC, March 14, 2007. Today, by a vote of 331 to 94, The House of Representatives passed the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (H.R. 985). The Enhancment Act is the first major reform of federal whistleblower laws in 18 years, and cures numerous weaknesses in existing legislation. The Enhancement Act will:

* For the first time, provide most federal employees with a right to have their claims heard in federal court;

* Protect most federal employees who expose waste fraud and corruption through their chain of command;

* Provide a new remedy for federal contractors who expose fraud on the taxpayers

Stephen Kohn, the President of the National Whistleblower Center, issued the following statement regarding the passage of H.R. 985:

“This is a historic victory for oversight and accountability. For the first time in 18 years, Congress is getting serious about protecting Federal employee-whistleblowers. The House has taken the first step in passing…. It is now up to the Senate to get the job done. We fully expect that at the end of the day that Congress will pass, and the President will sign, effective whistleblower protections; we will accept nothing less."



But has dodgy amendments are:

* Amendment number 3,offered by Representative Pete Hoekstra (MI), which would strike the section of the bill that extends whistleblower protection to national security whistleblowers, such as employees of the FBI, CIA and the Dept. of Homeland Security.

* Amendment number 4, offered by representative Tom Davis (VA), would bar whistleblowers from having their claims heard in all federal courts, but rather continue the practice of funneling all whistleblower claims through one court, the Federal Circuit, which has been noted for its hostile decisions toward employees in the past.