Platts Continues Fight to Protect Federal Employees Who Report Waste and Fraud in the Federal Government

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Todd Platts (PA-19) is once again helping to lead efforts to save taxpayer dollars and make the government more accountable with this week’s introduction of the “The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2011” (H.R. 3289). Congressman Platts joined with Congressmen Darrell Issa (CA-49), Elijah Cummings (MD-7) and Chris Van Hollen (MD-8) in introducing H.R. 3289, which restores protections for federal employees who report illegalities, gross mismanagement and waste, and dangers to the public health and safety.  Congressman Issa serves as Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR), Congressman Cummings serves as the Ranking Member of the OGR Committee, and Congressman Van Hollen joined Congressman Platts as co-sponsor of whistleblower legislation during the previous session of Congress.

H.R. 3289 was approved by the OGR committee today.  The legislation was adopted by a vote of 35-0.

 H.R. 3289 would strengthen the inadequate protections currently afforded to federal employees who allege retaliation for reporting waste, fraud and abuse within the federal government.  This legislation would overturn a series of Federal Circuit Court of Appeals decisions that have undermined the intent of federal whistleblower law.  Specifically, H.R. 3289 would close judicially-created loopholes in existing whistleblower protection law, increase avenues for intelligence community whistleblowers to safely and legally expose waste, fraud and abuse at intelligence agencies, establish consistency with other remedial employment laws, and strengthen the Office of Special Counsel's ability to seek disciplinary accountability against those who retaliate against whistleblowers. Since whistleblower law was last strengthened in 1994, more than 200 whistleblower cases have come before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals – yet only three have prevailed.

“This legislation would make the federal government more open and accountable to the citizens it serves,” said Congressman Platts, who serves as Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Government Organization, Efficiency and Financial Management. “The time is long past due for meaningful protections for employees who have the courage to blow the whistle, at the risk of their own careers, on waste, fraud and abuse within the government.”

 Introduction of this legislation comes after several years of work on this issue by Congressmen Platts and Van Hollen.  Legislation Platts sponsored on behalf of federal whistleblowers in the 108th and 109th Congress’ (H.R. 3281 and H.R. 1317) were both adopted by the House Government Reform Committee, and legislation he cosponsored in the 110th Congress passed the U.S. House but failed to come to a vote before the U.S. Senate.  Congressman Platts has been honored by the Government Accountability Project (GAP) and other organizations for his leadership in protecting whistleblowers. Tom Devine, Legal Director of GAP, said “this bill reflects eight years of hard work by Representative Platts,” calling him the “pioneer sponsor” for this fundamental good government reform.

 H.R. 3289 has the support of numerous organizations, such as GAP, the National Taxpayer’s Union, and the Liberty Coalition.  Similar legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate (S. 743) in April by Senator Daniel Akaka.