Whistleblowers and their advocates
descended on Capitol Hill last week for the Whistleblower Summit for Civil and
Human Rights. Previously known as Washington Whistleblower's Week, this
three-day event featured Awards Presentations, Plenary Session, Workshops and
Panel Discussions, Press Conference at the National Press Club, National
Whistleblower Appreciation Day Luncheon and Welcome Reception, Book Signing and
Film Screening, and Solidarity Dinner.
The Whistleblower Summit on Civil and Human Rights officially ended on July 31st. However, many of our attendees stayed on to contact members of Congress and Senior Members of the Obama Administration. A group of USDA Whistleblowers, Black and Native American Farmers, and Employees carried on very effectively contacting many senior members of the of the USDA administration. We even supported a resolution to eliminate the racially offensive term "Red Skins" from usage within the federal government.
- Whistleblower and Civil Rights activists came together from across the country: Standing room only attendance .
- Raised
public awareness and placed Whistleblowing in its proper historical
context i.e., an act of patriotism sanctioned by the Continental
Congress.
- Met with Senator "Chuck" Grassley during the week he introduced new legislation dedicating National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.
- Congressional Black Caucus Chair, Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH) Pillar Human Rights Award.
- Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) (possible presidential
candidate) personally accepted our Pillar Human Rights Award. - Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) Pillar Human Rights Award.
- Posthumous Pillar Human Rights Award presented to the family of a beloved author, journalist and award-winning radio host, Ambrose Lane
- First ever Pillar Award presented to New Media publisher and Bottom-Up advocate for pioneering work in social media, Ron Kall OpEdNews.com
- Documentary Film Crew covered the conference to submit to Sundance.
- Major Hollywood Film Studio which aired a trailer for the new Julian Assange film "The Fifth Estate" participated at National Press Club.
- Direct participation by an International Television Network, Russian Television.
- Premier of Whistleblower Program "The Fifth Estate" on Pacifica
- Whistleblower Book Signing and Film Screening of "War on Whistleblowers" at Busboys and Poets.
- Participation by the "Free Bradley Manning Campaign".
- Announced new strategies for implementing the Whistleblower Protection and Enhancement Act (WPEA).
- Presented EEOC Obstacles to Employment rebuttal report.
- Requested OIG (Office of Inspector General) investigation of USDA and EEOC for Civil Rights violations.
- U.S. Office of Special Counsel panel participation.
- Held National Whistleblower Appreciation Day Lunch and Welcome Reception.
- Enjoyed Whistleblower Solidarity Dinner on Waterfront.
- Day of Action: Demonstration on the National Mall.
During the Whistleblower Summit FEW/LEF, the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees and Coalition For Change (C4C) supported an investigation of official misconduct in administratively closing over 3,000 previously unprocessed claims at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and possible complicity by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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Letter To USDA and EEOC Inspectors General
July 30, 2013
Phyllis Fong, Inspector General
USDA--Office of Inspector General
Room 117-W Jamie Whitten Building
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