GROUPS ACROSS POLITICAL SPECTRUM URGE CONGRESS TO INCLUDE FEDERAL SCIENTISTS IN PENDING WHISTLEBLOWER BILL
PRN
March 18, 2008
United States Senate Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator:
In the next few weeks, House and Senate negotiators are working to reconcile bills to enhance whistleblower protections for federal employees. Your leadership on this issue will help to ensure that the final version of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act contains specific protections for federal scientists who blow the whistle on the suppression or distortion of federal research or technical information. Such protections, which were incorporated into the House- passed whistleblower bill, H.R. 985, are crucial for the health and safety of all Americans.
Federal government scientists play a crucial role in providing data and scientific analyses to policy makers so they can make the best, most informed decisions about our environment, health, and national security. Whether it is toy safety, drug efficacy, or air quality, we count on federal agencies to use independent and unbiased science to protect us from harm.
Federal law has defined a whistleblower as someone who reports waste, fraud and “abuse of authority.” This definition, however, fails to address the problems facing too many federal scientists.
Surveys, investigations, and media reports increasingly show that federal science is being manipulated, suppressed, and distorted. Indeed, of the nearly 3,400 federal scientists across nine agencies who have responded to questionnaires by the Union of Concerned Scientists, more than 1,100 scientists report that they fear retaliation for openly expressing concerns about their agency’s mission-driven work.
Scientists who expose the suppression and distortion of their work should be protected for alerting the public to potential dangers. For this reason, any comprehensive whistleblower law that Congress approves this year must define “abuse of authority” to include the suppression and/or distortion of federal research and technical information.
Specific whistleblower protections would not give federal scientists the right to usurp legitimate supervisory oversight or policy making that appropriately is delegated to political appointees and senior managers, nor would it allow them to violate federal law shielding national security and proprietary information. Rather, they would afford a federal scientist whose work has been suppressed or distorted protection from reprisal if the scientist publicly reported these attempts.
At a time when Congress has serious concerns about an aging federal workforce and the United States is facing unique scientific and technical challenges, it is crucial that federal agencies do all they can to retain their most experienced and skilled scientists and technicians. Whistleblower protections for scientists and researchers would improve morale at federal agencies and help to retain and recruit dedicated civil servants.
We urge you to advocate for a final bill that would provide protection from retaliation for exposing attempts to censor, distort, or suppress any scientific or technical research. Congress must recognize that scientists must be able to work to protect the health and safety of Americans, without interference, and should be able to speak out about distorted or suppressed scientific findings without retribution.
Sincerely,
John W. Curtis, Ph.D. Director of Research and Public Policy American Association of University Professors
Christopher Finan President American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
Lynne E. Bradley Director, Office of Government Relations American Library Association
Patricia S. Schroeder President & CEO Association of American Publishers
Wayne C. Shields President and CEO Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
Terry Francke General Counsel Californians Aware
William Snape Senior Counsel Center for Biological Diversity
Paul Kurtz Chairman Center for Inquiry
Kirsten Stade Program Manager, Integrity of Science Project Center for Science in the Public Interest
Dave Werntz Science and Conservation Director Conservation Northwest
Sarah Dufendach Vice President for Legislative Affairs Common Cause
Rachel Weintraub Director of Product Safety and Senior Counsel Consumer Federation of America
Ellen Bloom Assistant Director of the Washington Office Consumers Union
Jamie Rappaport Clark Executive Vice President Defenders of Wildlife
Dr. Jim Murtagh Doctors for Open Government
Susan A. Holmes Senior Legislative Representative Earthjustice
Jon Hunter Policy Director Endangered Species Coalition
John Richard Director Essential Information
George Anderson Ethics in Government Group
Daniel Hirsch Executive Committee Concerned Foreign Service Officers
Steven Aftergood Project Director, Project on Government Secrecy Federation of American Scientists
Gwen Marshall co-Chairman Georgians for Open Government
Tom Devine Legal Director Government Accountability Project
Helen Salisbury, M.D. Health Integrity Project
Brett Kimberlin Director Justice Through Music
Mike Kelly Fish Biologist, Former Whistleblower
Michael D. Ostrolenk Co-Founder/National Director Liberty Coalition
Mary Treacy Executive Director Minnesota Coalition on Government Information
Joan E. Bertin, Esq. Executive Director National Coalition Against Censorship
Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D. President National Research Center for Women & Families
Amy Allina Program Director National Women's Health Network
Karen Wayland Legislative Director Natural Resources Defense Council
Kim Nelson Research Wildlife Biologist
Rick Engler Director New Jersey Work Environment Council
Sean Moulton Director of Information Policy OMB Watch
Patrice McDermott Director OpenTheGovernment.org
Siobhan Reynolds President Pain Relief Network
Larry Siems Director, Freedom to Write and International Programs PEN American Center
Danielle Brian Executive Director Project On Government Oversight
David Arkush Director Public Citizen's Congress Watch
Jeff Ruch Executive Director Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
Kirsten Moore President and CEO Reproductive Health Technologies Project
James A. Landrith, Jr. Founder The Multiracial Activist
Ron Marshall Chairman The New Grady Coalition
Ellen Paul Executive Director The Ornithological Council
John W. Whitehead President The Rutherford Institute
Kevin Kuritzky The Student Health Integrity Project
Dane vonBreichenruchardt President U.S. Bill of Rights Foundation
Francesca T. Grifo, Ph.D. Director, Scientific Integrity Program Union of Concerned Scientists
Bruce McIntosh Staff Ecologist Western Nebraska Resources Council
John Judge 9/11 Research Project
John Young Retired Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
