On the 21st anniversary of “Sunshine Week”, the annual recognition of the importance of the importance of public records and open government, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) delivered remarks on the Senate floor highlighting the need for government transparency and the necessity of whistleblowers.
“Too often, whistleblowers are treated like skunks at a picnic when they ought to be commended for their bravery. It ought to be easier – not harder – for whistleblowers to report misconduct, especially to Congress,” he stated. “Whistleblowers must be protected from retaliation and fully informed of their rights.”
Grassley emphasized the role of whistleblowers in congressional oversight as a powerful tool to root out waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct and protect taxpayer dollars. A long-term champion of whistleblowers in Congress, Grassley has introduced new legislation to extend the anti-gag provision to cover federal employees of executive agency government corporations. The new provision would require government nondisclosure policies and similar agreements to inform employees they can blow the whistle to Congress and government watchdogs.
In line with Sunshine Week’s theme of transparency, Grassley highlighted whistleblowers from the IRS, CBP, FBI, ATF, and FEMA who bravely brought forward misconduct and suffered subsequent retaliation, including IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler. With the senator’s assistance, 16 of these whistleblowers were able to gain promotions, compensation, and relief from the retaliation they suffered.
“As my examples show, whistleblowers are the key to transparency,” Grassley stated. “Sunshine Week is an opportunity for the country to highlight the righteous fight for transparency. Sunshine is essential to making the government accountable to ‘We the People.’”
