Bill to strengthen whistleblower protections advances

06/06/12: Secrecy News reports the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee reported out the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act last week.  The bill is intended to increase protections for government employees and contractors who ‘blow the whistle’ and disclose illegal or improper government activity; among other things, it would require intelligence agency heads to advise employees on how to make lawful disclosures of classified information without retribution.  The pending bill would bolster the comparatively flimsy provisions of the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act.  Establishing improved channels for lawful disclosures of illegal activity could serve to diminish incentives for unauthorized disclosures of classified information, the Committee suggested.  Last month, the Senate passed its version of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act by unanimous consent.