Citing growing concerns over court decisions that have weakened laws designed to protect whistleblowers, the American Civil Liberties Union today called on Congress to enact stronger protections for whistleblowers, especially those in the national security arena. Legislation that would take steps to correct some shortcomings in whistleblower law - but without critical protections for national security whistleblowers - was the subject of a hearing held by a panel of the House Government Reform Committee.
In recent weeks, the Department of Justice has announced that it will investigate the disclosure of an illegal National Security Agency domestic eavesdropping operation approved by President George W. Bush.
fails to fix a gap in current law for intelligence community employees from whom regulatory protections have been insufficient; and does not prohibit the career-ending revocation of a security clearance in retaliation for covered disclosures. It is critical that lawmakers correct these shortcomings, or else national security whistleblowers could remain out in the cold.
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