Whistleblowers

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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Whistleblower Protections Moving Forward

Oct 15, 2012 by Sean Moulton

On Oct. 10, President Obama issued a groundbreaking directive that will lead to new protections for federal employees who report misconduct in the intelligence community, which includes agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The new policy, which has been a long-sought goal of the open government community, will guard whistleblowers against retaliation. The directive delivers on the administration's commitment under the Open Government Partnership to work to strengthen whistleblower protections, and many in the open government community applauded the new policy.

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Long Overdue Whistleblower Protections Finally Near?

Sep 20, 2012 by Gavin Baker

While the vast majority of public servants are competent and well-intentioned, problems can crop up in government (as in any large organization). To address those problems, we need strong transparency and oversight, including the courage of public servants themselves to step forward and blow the whistle. But currently, federal employees with knowledge of misconduct are discouraged from reporting it due to a lack of protections and fear of retaliation, including being fired. A whistleblower protection bill that would change this could be up for a vote in the House and Senate later today or tomorrow: the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act‎ (WPEA, S. 743).

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Health Care Law's Transparency Provisions Empower Consumers, Prevent Waste and Fraud

Transparency isn't typically the first thing that comes to mind about the 2010 health care law. However, the law puts more health care information in the hands of consumers and gives the public new tools for combating waste and fraud.

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The Ridenhour Awards: A Call to Truth

Apr 27, 2012 by Sofia Plagakis

On April 25, several OMB Watch colleagues and I attended the 2012 Ridenhour Awards, which recognize Americans who engage in "acts of truth-telling to protect the public interest, promote social justice or illuminate a more just vision of society." These individuals, speaking out against large and powerful forces, to expose the truth and protect Americans and social justice, changed history.

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NOAA Takes Lead on Protecting Scientific Integrity

Aug 22, 2011 by Gavin Baker

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) efforts to protect scientific integrity make the agency a leader among its federal counterparts, OMB Watch said in comments filed last week.

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Seal Trumps Speech in False Claims Act Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently ruled against three public interest groups that sought to limit the government's ability to gag whistleblowers who file complaints under the False Claims Act (FCA). The ruling upheld a lower court decision to dismiss the suit.

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A Face-to-Face with the President about Transparency

Mar 29, 2011 by Gary Bass*

Yesterday, I had a once-in-a-career opportunity – to discuss transparency in the Oval Office with the President of the United States.

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Whistleblower Protections Pass Senate; Advocates Call for Swift House Passage

Dec 14, 2010 by Gavin Baker

On Dec. 10, the Senate approved the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, S. 372. A diverse coalition of groups, including OMB Watch, has called for the House to move quickly to pass the bill as well.

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Whither Transparency in the Next Congress?

When the 112th Congress convenes in January, attention will be focused on the newly Republican-controlled House. On transparency issues, House Republican leaders have sounded positive tones. However, it remains to be seen whether bipartisan consensus on meaningful transparency can be achieved or whether transparency will be wielded as a partisan weapon.

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OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Problems Continue, GAO Says

In a new report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has again strongly criticized the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for a range of problems and inconsistencies in the agency's handling of whistleblower protections.