Government Accountability Project

National Office

1612 K Street · Suite 1100

Washington, DC  20006

202-457-0034 · fax: 202-457-0059

·  Website: www.whistleblower.org

July 29, 2010

Dear Member of Congress:

This letter is to express support and appreciation for the leadership of members such as Representatives George Miller, Edward Markey and the bi-partisan team that has earned a consensus so far for HR 5851, the Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower Protection Act. Much more significant, however, the Government Accountability Project seeks your support on the House floor for passage.

All Americans appreciate the good faith efforts at reform of regulatory structure, congressional oversight and professional standards since the Gulf oil disaster. None of those reforms will be meaningful, however, unless corporate workers who serve as the eyes and ears for law enforcement and public oversight can defend themselves when they defend the oceans.

This legislation should not be controversial. Its provisions reflect best practices that Congress has approved nine times since 2002 passage of the Sarbanes Oxley whistleblower rights. It is consistent with precedents during that time for workers in industries including – defense contracts, financial, health care, mass transit, nuclear power and weapons, railroad, retail sales and manufacturing, trucking and cross country buses,  and all recipients of stimulus funds. All were passed unanimously. HR 5851 does not go beyond the boundaries of those laws.

Passage of HR 5851 will make it possible to bridge the gap between visions of reform, and results. Without it, those employees who take stricter legal standards seriously will proceed at their own risk. That means far more witnesses to illegality will remain “silent observers.” Profiles in courage are the exception, not the rule. Please demonstrate you are serious about making a difference, by providing credible rights for those who risk their standards to turn reforms on paper into reality.

GAP is available to answer any questions or concerns about the substantive provisions of this essential cornerstone for credible reform, or to provide research supporting the summary above.

Sincerely,

Thomas Devine

Legal Director