In the spirit of National Whistleblower Day, a day to commemorate courageous whistleblowers who have stood up against corruption to protect our democracy, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) released a Q&A about his latest reform efforts to protect whistleblowers.
Grassley is co-sponsoring the Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act, which provides crucial protection for Federal whistleblowers against retaliation and encourages them to come forward. Grassley, the co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus, has always praised the efforts of whistleblowers who “put their jobs and reputations on the line to tell the truth.”
In 2024, Grassley wrote all 74 federal inspectors general to “strengthen their whistleblower protections and stop using unlawful non-disclosure policies.” Grassley then went on to champion the Artificial Intelligence Whistleblower Protection Act, which would “provide relief for AI whistleblowers who suffer retaliation, including reinstatement, back pay, and compensation for damages.”
Most recently, Grassley issued a letter to President Trump urging him to protect federal employee whistleblowers, particularly in the face of federal layoffs. He emphasized that the federal government should not be using this downsizing initiative to retaliate against its employees for making legally protected whistleblower disclosures.
“The work of whistleblowers is invaluable to American society. They are heroes among us who identify violations of law, gross mismanagement, while putting their livelihoods and careers on the line,” said Grassley.