Whistleblowers

Articles & Analysis

Congress Attempts to Restore Teeth to Whistleblower Protections

On May 14, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing on H.R. 1507, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2009. The bill is Congress’ most recent attempt to reform whistleblower protections after failing to pass substantively similar bills in the previous two sessions and abandoning a bipartisan whistleblower amendment to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Sixth Annual Ridenhour Awards Honor Truth-Telling, Courage

The Sixth Annual Ridenhour Awards were presented April 16 by the Nation Institute and the Fertel Foundation. The awards are presented each year to journalists and whistleblowers in honor of Ron Ridenhour, a former Vietnam veteran who exposed the 1968 massacre at My Lai. The awards are given to those who act to protect the public interest and promote social justice. The 2009 awardees were Thomas Tamm, Bob Herbert, Jane Mayer, and Nick Turse.

Transparency Concerns Raised about EPA Nominee

President-elect Barack Obama's nominee to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lisa Jackson, has drawn both praise and criticism from environmental advocates. Some have accused Jackson of limiting public participation, denying the release of information to the public, and weakening scientific integrity in her time as a state environmental commissioner in New Jersey. Other environmentalists have hailed the nomination and believe the events should not be attributed to Jackson.

SEC Wants Transparency in Wall Street Credit Gambling

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Christopher Cox recently emphasized the urgent need for transparency of currently unregulated credit transactions, called credit default swaps (CDS), that contributed to the ongoing economic crisis. Cox is using the SEC's program to modernize its electronic disclosure system as a platform to call for oversight while the agency investigates alleged fraudulent transactions. Meanwhile, two other federal agencies are vying for regulatory oversight of CDS and industry is lobbying to minimize the impact. At issue will be whether transparency is accompanied with any other forms of accountability.

Consumer Product Safety Reform Clears Congress

Congress has approved a bill that will revamp the nation's consumer product safety net. The legislation reforms the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to enable the agency to better enforce safety standards in a market dominated by cheap imports and requires new standards for dangerous substances like lead and phthalates.

Whistleblower Week in Washington

Whistleblower advocates convene in Washington, DC, this week (May 12-16) for events dedicated to honoring whistleblowers, promoting their protection, and educating the public and Congress about the most pressing issues for whistleblowers today.

Pressure Flushes CDC Report Out of Hiding

In response to allegations of suppression of science, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a draft report that the agency will continue to modify due to CDC concerns that the report too closely links environmental pollution with adverse health effects in the Great Lakes region.

Bipartisan Consensus Forming on CPSC Reform

Although differences between the House and Senate still exist, Congress is moving toward a bipartisan agreement on major reforms to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Bills from each chamber need to be reconciled, but if Congress can agree on a single proposal, it will set up a showdown with the Bush administration over new provisions intended to expand consumer protections by revitalizing the CPSC.

CDC Watering Down Great Lakes Report on Toxics

After significantly delaying the release of a report that identifies alarming toxic health risks for the Great Lakes region, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now reportedly planning to release a substantially modified document.

NASA Inspector General Faces Tough Questioning from Congress

On June 7, the Senate and House held a joint hearing to investigate the conduct of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Inspector General, Robert Cobb. The hearing was conducted by the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics and Related Matters. Questions raised during the hearing concerned issues including the inspector general's alleged manipulation and interference with investigations, creation of a hostile environment for whistleblowers, and the destruction of records.