Should we increase whistleblower protections for Federal employees, promote awareness about these protections, and introduce disciplinary measures for retaliation against whistleblowers?

Awaiting Vote
Bill Summary

This bill provides greater whistleblower protections for Federal employees and awareness around these protections. It also calls for increased accountability and required discipline for Federal supervisors who retaliate against whistleblowers. The bill bears the name of the 38-year-old clinical psychologist who fatally shot himself in July 2009 after being fired from the Tomah VA facility. Sponsor: Rep. Duffy, Sean P. [R-WI-7]
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Opponents say

•    We need to discourage whistleblowing tactics and instead encourage veterans to seek recourse for perceived injustice through legal means. This bill does not do that.  

Proponents say

•    The “VA has a serious cultural problem when it comes to whistleblower retaliation,” says Rep. Johnson. This bill would restrict access to medical files of employees in retaliation for whistleblowing, which is a step in the right direction.  
•    “This commonsense legislation would help to safeguard whistleblowers who speak up about corruption and mistreatment in our VA system, and take additional steps to hold retaliators responsible,” said Sen. Joni Ernst, a combat veteran. “Efforts to fix the VA must be protected, not punished, as we work to improve access to timely and quality care for our nation’s veterans.”