Today, the House will consider S. 372, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, as one of its final legislative items in the 111th Congress. This legislation would provide carefully designed avenues that ensure credible information on waste, fraud, and abuse in government will flow securely to trusted committees of jurisdiction in Congress. We believe that information then has the potential to increase productivity and accountability within the federal government. S. 372 has already cleared the Senate, so we are thrilled that it made the House calendar before the chamber adjourned. We sent a Vote Alert to all House offices urging Representatives to support this important legislation. We are hopeful that it will pass today, but the bill does require the support of 2/3 majority of Members present given that it was filed under what is called a “suspension.”
Here is an excerpt from the Vote Alert:
“S. 372 is crucial to the future viability of efforts to improve fiscal management in the federal government. If the next Congress is to have credibility with taxpayers who are expecting more aggressive efforts to control the cost of government, S. 372 is a key reform that must be in place on day one of the 2011 session, not at some future point in time. This bill is the product of many hearings and refinements, not just in the 111th Congress, but for the better part of a decade. Drawing out the process for more months, or even years, to get “the perfect bill” is neither desirable nor acceptable to overburdened taxpayers."