Last spring, media reports based on NSA contractor Edward Snowden’s whistleblowing began changing the world. Snowden provided journalists with countless documents exposing the agency’s privacy-violating surveillance programs. While the whistleblower has removed the veil from the ominously expanding surveillance state, his critics say that he should have worked “within the system” to change things.
This is a disingenuous and false suggestion. Not only did Snowden repeatedly raise concerns internally, but under current law, intelligence community (IC) government contractors remain virtually defenseless against retaliation when they report government waste, fraud, and abuse. That was not always the case. Just six months before Snowden’s disclosures began, the House Intelligence Committee stripped existing protections for certain IC contractors.
After the limitless and unscrupulous attacks on Snowden’s character, many future IC whistleblowers may remain silent without adequate protections. This fatal flaw in government accountability must be corrected. The precise number of federal IC contractors is unknown, but conservative estimates agree that hundreds of thousands of taxpayer-supported workers would be covered by a new law.
Congress should pass legislation guaranteeing strong uniform whistleblower protections for IC contractors. If passed, it would help to safeguard billions of taxpayer dollars annually and provide checks on government abuses of power. Please let Congressional leadership know that IC whistleblowers should be protected today!
Shanna Devine is Legislative Director for the Government Accountability Project, the nation’s leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.