Protecting Whistleblowers in America

WHEREAS, The first amendment protects speech on matters of public concern; and

WHEREAS, employees are often in the best position to know what ails the agencies for which they work; and

WHEREAS, the current federal and where applicable, state whistleblowers protection laws do not adequately protect employee whistleblowers; and

WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States has recently adopted realistic procedures necessary to protect employee whistleblowers; and

WHEREAS, Congress has made no effort to protect government employees who report misconduct, fraud, and corruption, they still have not extended full protection to truth-tellers; and

WHEREAS, to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the United States government, and the effective enforcement of federal laws, employee whistleblowers must be adequately protected; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP advocates that congressional and senate committee hearings be held to discuss the protections that whistleblowers are lacking, and no employer or authority over employers or contractors, including, but not limited to, contractors, public or private corporations, subcontractors or agents of an employer, may discharge, demote, harass, blacklist or discriminate against any employee because that employee disclosed what the employee reasonably believes constitutes a violation of a law or a public health and safety requirement; and

THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports the whistleblower provisions found in H.R. 1317 and H.R. 5112.