Sheila Jackson Lee: “I make mention that we passed the No FEAR Act with a number of Members. As we have noted a number of whistleblowers who…”

“I make mention that we passed the No FEAR Act with a number of Members. As we have noted a number of whistleblowers who were actually Persons of the Year on Time Magazine, I join my colleagues in supporting the present underlying legislation and ask all Members to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an original co-sponsor and strong support of H.R. 1557, the ``Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2015.'' I support this legislation because it ensures agencies effectively implement their Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) programs and that federal employees are never prevented from disclosing discriminatory or wasteful actions to Congress, the Office of Special Counsel, or Inspectors General. Let me express my thanks to Ranking Member Cummings for introducing this critical legislation that is essential to ensuring that our federal workplaces are free from discrimination, and that any barriers impeding fairness in personnel decisions are identified and eliminated. We have a history of addressing workplace equality and that is why I sponsored similar legislation when the No Fear Act was first introduced to Congress in 2002. The No Fear Act set the precedent for imposing additional duties upon Federal agency employers intended to reinvigorate their longstanding obligation to provide a work environment free of discrimination and retaliation. If you would allow me I would like to put a face on this problem.…”