Whistleblower Bill Draws Criticism

An article in Government Executive reports that The Whistleblower Improvement Act of 2011 has passed through a House subcommittee, but is drawing criticism from watchdog groups like POGO, which states that the bill is an extreme approach that would silence would-be whistleblowers and undermine investigations.  The proposed act would require whistleblowers, with some exceptions, to report criminal activity internally in addition to filing a complaint with the SEC.  Supporters of the bill state this additional step will allow companies to stop criminal activity early, lessening the burden on an over-taxed SEC.