Fed whistle-blower protection cut from stimulus

[Joanne98]

WASHINGTON - Protections for federal whistle-blowers that were part of an earlier version of the economic stimulus bill were left out in the final legislation.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who has led efforts to better protect federal workers exposing waste and abuse, said it was disappointing that whistle-blower protections had been eliminated from a bill that approves the spending of billions of federal dollars.

The original House version of the $787 billion bill included legislation, sponsored by Van Hollen and Rep. Todd Platts, R-Pa., that gives federal employees, including those working in national security areas, legal means to challenge reprisals and firings linked to their revealing wrongdoing. The measure shielded federal workers who make public those who try to manipulate or censor scientific research in federal agencies for political purposes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29186573/

:wow: :hurts: :wow: :hurts: :wow: :hurts: :wow: :hurts: :wow: :hurts:

[Joanne98]

1. Susan Collins Stripped Whistleblower Protection from Stimulus Bill So GOP Can Blame Dems Later

Via TPMMuckraker: Gotta love those "centrists"!

Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine GOP dealmaker who's been in the limelight this week for helping to pass a watered down stimulus, has been talking a good game about the need to avoid wasting taxpayer money. But it looks like Collins also worked today to strip from the final bill a measure that's crucial to exposing that waste.

Here's what happened:

The House stimulus bill contained a provision designed to protect federal whistleblowers. Currently, those protections are shockingly weak. According to the Project On Government Oversight, whistleblowers who are fired or demoted can file a complaint with a government board -- but over the last eight years, that board has ruled in favor of whistleblowers only twice in 55 cases.

More to the point, the protections were designed to encourage federal workers to point out cases where taxpayer money is subject to waste, fraud, or abuse -- a legitimate concern when Congress spends $800 billion, and one that centrists and Republicans have been particularly exercised about.

Yesterday, 20 members of the House, from both parties, yesterday sent a letter to House negotiators urging them to ensure that the protections remained.

But, according to a person following the bill closely, Collins used today's conference committee to drastically water down the measure, citing national security concerns as the reason for her opposition. In the end, the protections were so weakened that House negotiators balked, and the result was that the entire amendment was removed.

According to the person following the bill, Collins was the "central roadblock" to passing the protections.

But wait, here's the good part!

So when, in the coming months, conservatives start jumping up and down over the fact that money from the stimulus bill is being wasted, as they surely will, it's worth remembering that a key measure designed to help expose that waste was removed from taken out of the bill -- and by a senator said to be a champion of fiscal discipline.

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/susan-collins-stripped-whistleblower-

[ixion]

2. yeah, we certainly don't want to waste money on people looking for waste and FRAUD

because, you know, that would spoil all those high-falutin' beltway parties and perks. :grr:

[KharmaTrain]

3. It'll Be Back...

I suspect Van Hollen will have more cracks at this apple...insert it in another bill...one that will get votes to pass in the Senate. The problem with this package, as with a lot of large legislation, is the bills are larded with "wishes". They're not necessarily pork, but procedures and other motions that will slide through with the massive bill. I suspect that much of what came out will find its way back in via future bills.