Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced a bill this week that would amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to give legislative branch employees the same whistle-blower protections as other federal workers. [IMGCAP(1)]

The law currently protects legislative branch employees from retaliation in the workplace, but it doesn’t contain specific shields for workers who report misconduct.

Grassley introduced a similar bill in the 109th Congress. The current measure was sent to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

“A theme that has dominated this new Congress, as well as the elections this past November, is accountability and responsibility in Washington,” Grassley said in a floor speech Tuesday. “I have fought hard for whistle-blowers over the years because they are key in our efforts to ensure government accountability to the people we are sent here to serve.”

— Elizabeth Brotherton