10 May 2013

Grassley Reminds Agencies of Key Whistleblower Protections, Seeks Compliance Details

By Grassley Press

Friday, May 10, 2013

Grassley Reminds Agencies of Key Whistleblower Protections, Seeks Compliance Details

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today wrote to 15 government agencies, reminding them of recently enacted whistleblower protections and seeking information on their compliance with the new law.

"Whistleblowers risk their careers to point out government waste, fraud and abuse," Grassley said.  "Without them, the public wouldn't know about a lot of problems that had to be exposed to get fixed. Our government would be the weaker for it.  Protections for whistleblower communications with Congress and agency watchdogs are critical for whistleblowers' good work to continue."

Grassley wrote to the major executive branch agencies about the recently enacted Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, which codified an "anti-gag" provision he introduced every year.  The provision makes explicit that agency nondisclosure agreements do not apply to communications with Congress or reporting violations and/or misconduct to an Inspector General, or any other whistleblower protection.  Agency nondisclosure agreements must include specific disclaimers to that effect, and those disclaimers must be posted on agency websites.

Grassley asked each agency for information including all forms, policies, or agreements mentioning communications with Congress used within the last five years and a detailed statement of the various efforts taken to post the "anti-gag" provision on the agency website.

Grassley wrote to the Department of State, Department of the Treasury, Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, Department of Education, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Homeland Security.

Grassley is a long-time advocate for whistleblowers.  He was the Senate author of the 1986 whistleblower updates to the federal False Claims Act.  Since 1986, these provisions have recovered more than $30 billion that otherwise would be lost to fraud.

The text of Grassley's letter follows here.  The text is the same for each of the 15 agencies.

 

May 10, 2013

VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

The Honorable Eric K. Shinseki

Secretary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

810 Vermont Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20420

 

Dear Secretary Shinseki:

Time and again, whistleblowers courageously identify, often at great risk to their professional careers, waste, fraud, and abuse.  Unfortunately, as a result of their actions, whistleblowers often face intimidation, retaliation, and are subjected to prohibited personnel practices despite proscriptions against such action under federal law.[1]

As part of my efforts to protect whistleblowers, starting in 1988 I introduced an amendment known as the "anti-gag" provision to the Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act.[2] This provision was adopted and has been included in every appropriations bill signed into law since 1988,[3] most recently in March 2013 as part of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013.[4] In addition the recently passed Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (WPEA) codified the anti-gag provision as a prohibited personnel practice and thereby eliminated the need for annual revision.[5]

The new federal law now requires every U.S. Government nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement to contain an explicit statement notifying employees that nondisclosure requirements do not supersede their rights and obligations created by existing statute or Executive Order relating to classified information, communications to Congress, reporting violations and/or misconduct to an Inspector General, or any other whistleblower protection.[6] Moreover, the law requires any agency using a nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement to also post the aforementioned statement on the agency website, as well as a specific list of controlling Executive orders and statutory provisions.[7]

As the author of this rider and an original cosponsor of the WPEA who worked closely in drafting this provision with Senator Akaka, I want to ensure that this law is fully implemented.  Accordingly, please provide the following information:

1)      All forms, policies, or agreements which mention communications with Congress used within the last five years, including those with either non-disclosure or non-disparagement provisions.

2)      All forms, policies, or agreements which include the statutorily-defined statement informing employees of their rights on every nondisclosure policy.

3)      All forms, policies, or agreements which purport to limit a current or former employee's ability to communicate directly with Congress, whether explicitly or as a part of a general prohibition without a specific Congressional exemption.

4)      A detailed statement of the various efforts that your department has taken to post the "anti-gag" provision on its website, along with a specific list of controlling Executive orders and statutory provisions.

Thank you in advance for ensuring your response arrives no later than May 24, 2013.  Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Chris Lucas of my Committee staff at (202) 224-5225.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

Ranking Member                               

Committee on the Judiciary

 

See 5 U.S.C. § 2302(a) (2006) (outlining prohibited personnel practices).

Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act, 1989, Pub. L. No. 100-440, 102 Stat. 1756 (1988).

See generally Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-74, 125 Stat. 932 (2011); Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub. L. No. 111-8, 123 Stat. 685 (2009).

Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, Pub. L. No. 113-6, Div. F, Title I, Sec. 1105 (referencing back to Pub. L. No. 112-74, Div. C, Title VII, Sec. 715).

Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-199, 126 Stat. 1465 (2012).

[1] See 5 U.S.C. § 2302(a) (2006) (outlining prohibited personnel practices).

[2] Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act, 1989, Pub. L. No. 100-440, 102 Stat. 1756 (1988).

[3] See generally Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-74, 125 Stat. 932 (2011); Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub. L. No. 111-8, 123 Stat. 685 (2009).

[4] Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, Pub. L. No. 113-6, Div. F, Title I, Sec. 1105 (referencing back to Pub. L. No. 112-74, Div. C, Title VII, Sec. 715).

[5] Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-199, 126 Stat. 1465 (2012).

[6] See id. § 104(b)(1).

[7] See id. § 115(a)(2).
10 May 2013

Governor Quinn Takes Bill Action **Friday, May 10, 2013**

By William Palmisano

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

 

Bill No.: HB 207

An Act Making Appropriations

Makes appropriations to the Department on Aging.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

 

Bill No.: HB 1589

An Act Concerning: Gaming

Allows licensed suppliers of gaming equipment, devices or supplies to permanently affix their logo onto certain equipment, devices or supplies.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

 

###
10 May 2013

Jazz and Popsicles Open Free Concert Series in West Branch

By Adam Prato

WEST BRANCH, IOWA– "Jazz and Pop" will kick off this year's Music on the Village Green concert series in West Branch, Iowa. The award-winning West Branch High School Jazz Band, followed by student a cappella singers, performs on Friday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m. Main Street West Branch will hand out free popsicles during "Jazz and Pop".

Following the May 24 performance Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, in cooperation with Main Street West Branch, invites visitors to a series of special musical events each Thursday night in June. The weekly performances feature folk band The Hollands (June 6), bluesman Kevin "BF" Burt (June 13), guitarist Scott Cawelti (June 20), and bluegrass band The Feralings (June 27). The concerts are free and begin at 7:00 p.m. at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa.

"We're excited about the bands coming to perform this year," said park superintendent Pete Swisher, "and about bringing the community together around events in Herbert Hoover National Historic Site."

The outdoor concerts will take place on the village green at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Main Street in historic downtown West Branch.  The village green provides a classic small town setting in which to enjoy an evening of free entertainment.  There is ample parking nearby, and people are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or ground blankets.

Scott Cawelti's performance on June 20 is courtesy of Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

110 Parkside Drive

PO Box 607

West Branch, Iowa 52358


319 643-2541 phone

319 643-7864 fax

www.nps.gov/heho


Twitter: @HooverNPS

Facebook: HerbertHooverNHS

10 May 2013

Explore the World of Bike Touring at Rock Island Library on May 13

By Lisa Lockheart

Rock Island, IL: May is bike month, so it's only fitting that Rock Island author and bicycling advocate Chuck Oestreich will be at the Rock Island Library on Monday to informally discuss his book, "Bicycle Moon," and discuss the ins and outs of touring on two wheels.

His informal discussion, Bike Touring and Book Writing, will be presented at 6:30 pm, on Monday, May 13 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.  Writing a novel has been one of Chuck Oestreich's  lifelong dreams, and he'll talk a little bit about the story, his experiences in writing it, along with some practical tips he's learned over the years about bicycle touring.  Participants are urged to add their own bike touring experiences and tips.

Though the novel's hero spends much of the book on a bike,  bicycling is only part of the story in Bicycle Moon. What's more central to the book is a man drifting through life without much happiness or ambition. But when he accidentally takes off across mid-America on a bike, he has experiences which are singular, to say the least. Romance, suspense, interesting characters, and a whirlwind climax in a small Iowa town all add to the story.

This is not a book signing. No books will be for sale. If you do have a copy, the author will sign it. The author is a long-time Rock Island resident and teacher. He taught English at Rock Island High School for more than 30 years, currently writes a bicycling column for the Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch, and is involved in state-wide and local bike activism. He has bike toured cross-country in America and in ten foreign countries.                    

For more news about Rock Island Public Library events, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-7323 (READ) or follow the Rock Island Library on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of library events is available online and at Rock Island Library locations.

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10 May 2013

Rock Island Library Hosts Civil War Documentary Screening

By Lisa Lockheart

Rock Island, IL: The Rock Island Public Library will host a screening and discussion by Heritage Documentaries on Thursday, May 23 of "The Rock Island Civil War Prison: Andersonville of the North?" The screening starts at 6:30 pm in the Community Room of the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street. The event is free and open to the public.

The 30-minute documentary tells the story of the Rock Island Confederate prison camp using dramatic photos and other high-definition images.  It documents the life of prisoners using their own words from diaries and letters and demonstrates that the death rate at Rock Island was much lower than the astonishing death rate at Andersonville Prison in Georgia. The title, "Andersonville of the North," is derived from a passage in Margaret Mitchell's literary classic, Gone with the Wind.

Writers/directors Ed Isenberg and Ezra Sidran will be present to discuss the production and answer questions. The documentary is also available on DVD.

For more news about Rock Island Public Library events, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-7323 (READ) or follow the Rock Island Library on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of library events is available online and at Rock Island Library locations.

(end)
10 May 2013

Loebsack to Kickoff National Police Week with Police Ride-A-Long's in Davenport, Eldridge

By Rick Martin

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack will join police officers in both Davenport and Eldridge, TOMORROW, Saturday May 11th, to ride-a-long and discuss law enforcement issues.  Next week begins National Police Week, which recognizes the service of law enforcement officers and honors those officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Media are invited to attend.

 

Davenport Police Ride-a-long

 

Meet at Davenport Police Station

416 N. Harrison

Davenport

Begins at 10:30am

 

Eldridge Police Ride-a-long

 

Meet at Eldridge Police Department

305 N. 3rd Street

Eldridge

Begins at Noon

 

###
10 May 2013

Simon to hold Defense and Local Community Listening Posts

By Kara Beach

SPRINGFIELD - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will hold Defense and Local Community Listening Posts in communities near the state's three largest military installations in May and June. All local residents, especially military families, civilian Department of Defense employees, veterans, employers and educators, are invited to attend the listening posts in Belleville, Rock Island, and North Chicago, Simon announced today.

 

Participants at the listening posts will take a brief survey and then discuss issues pertaining to business climate, education, workforce training and quality of life. Simon will present feedback from the listening posts to the Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee (IMBSEDC), which she chairs. The IMBSEDC coordinates the state's activities and communications relating to current and former military bases in Illinois, and provides advice and recommendations for base retention, realignment and reuse.

 

"This is an opportunity for our defense communities to voice challenges and opportunities for federal, state and local coordination," said Simon. "I look forward to engaging with these residents and working together to strengthen these communities."

 

Find up-to-date information about the listening posts and RSVP here.

 

SAVE THE DATE

 

REGION: Southwest - Scott Air Force Base

DATE: Friday, May 17

TIME: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

LOCATION: Southwestern Illinois College, Liberal Arts Complex - Rooms 2311-2313, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville

 

REGION: Northwest - Rock Island Arsenal

DATE: Friday, May 31

TIME: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

LOCATION: TBA

 

REGION: Northeast - Naval Station Great Lakes

DATE: Wednesday, June 5

TIME: TBA

LOCATION: TBA

 

###
10 May 2013

Anesthesia Professionals Question Safety of Non-experts Giving Propofo to Patients via New Sedasys™ Machine

By Rick Martin
PARK RIDGE, Illinois - Responding to a decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve a new machine that allows healthcare providers who are not anesthesia experts to give the powerful drug propofol to patients undergoing colonoscopies and other gastrointestinal procedures, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) stated that the safest option for any patient receiving propofol is still the hands-on care provided by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and  physician anesthesiologists.

The pre-market approval of Johnson & Johnson's Sedasys® machine for administering propofol (Diprivan®) was announced on May 6 after three years of denial by the agency.

"Propofol is an effective anesthetic drug for colonoscopies and endoscopies because it is short acting and patients typically wake up quickly and feeling alert," said Janice Izlar, CRNA, DNAP, president of the 45,000 member AANA. "However, propofol is also a very powerful drug in that any patient receiving it can slip from a mildly sedated state into a state of general anesthesia requiring assistance with breathing. That's why it is always best for propofol to be administered by a qualified anesthesia professional. Since a machine is not able to prevent or manage loss of consciousness, we have serious concerns."

A 2004 joint position statement of the AANA and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) concurs, saying, "Whenever propofol is used for sedation/anesthesia, it should be administered only by persons trained in the administration of general anesthesia, who are not simultaneously involved in these surgical or diagnostic procedures."

Even the FDA-approved labeling on propofol warns that the drug should only be provided by persons qualified in general anesthesia, because the drug's effects cannot be reversed.

According to Johnson & Johnson, facilities where the Sedasys is used should have an anesthesia professional immediately available for assistance or consultation, a vague requirement that generally limits the machine's utility and cost-effectiveness. Johnson & Johnson also stresses the need for the propofol provider to be trained in dealing with the drug's cardiorespiratory effects?abilities that CRNAs and anesthesiologists master during years of advanced education and clinical training.

"CRNAs are master's prepared anesthesia experts educated and trained in the administration of general anesthesia and pain management," said Izlar. "Numerous studies have demonstrated the cost effectiveness and high quality of CRNA care when personally provided to an individual patient.  Substituting a machine for a dedicated anesthesia expert involves unknown costs and risks."

Johnson & Johnson plans to conduct two studies to monitor use of the Sedasys machine in actual clinical practice after a limited rollout in 2014.

About the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Founded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ill., the AANA is the professional organization representing more than 45,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists.  As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs administer approximately 33 million anesthetics to patients in the United States each year and are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America. In some states, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia professionals in nearly 100 percent of rural hospitals. For more information, visit www.aana.com.

###-----------------------------------------------------------------------
10 May 2013

QC StorySLAM to Present Fourth Storytelling Competition

By Tim Suddarth
ROCK ISLAND, IL - May 10, 2013 - The fourth story-telling competition in the QC StorySLAM series will feature stories that offer a glimpse into the jealousies that we often try to hide. Damascus Road QC and Theo's Java Club present "It's Not Easy Being Green: Stories of Jealousy" tomorrow, May 11, 2013 at 7:00 PM. The free event will be held at Theo's Java Club at 213 17th Street in Rock Island.
The theme for the evening is "It's Not Easy Being Green: Stories of Jealousy." You'll hear stories that give a glimpse into something with which we are not always comfortable admitting. Stories of green vision and envy of if-onlys and might've-beens.
QC StorySLAM is a storytelling competition. Anyone who attends can tell a story on the night's theme. Potential storytellers put their names in a hat and up to ten storytellers are chosen at random to present on the stage. Each story is judged by the following criteria: the story must be true, be five minutes or less, be told without notes, be about the storyteller (not someone else's story), and revolve around the night's theme.
"Everyone has a story to tell," said Kristin Meyer, host of the first two QC StorySLAM competitions. "StorySLAM is a great chance for people to share the story of their lives " Meyer said, "and it's a good time for the audience."
The QC StorySLAM champion wins a $25 gift card to Theo's Java Club and a custom-designed T-shirt that humbly declares their champion status. Music throughout the event will be provided by local band MILES RESTORED. More details and a guide to telling a good story may be found at www.facebook.com/QCStorySLAM.

About QC StorySLAM:
QC StorySLAM is a regular storytelling competition in the Quad Cities, inspired by the New York City club The MOTH. Contestants tell true stories without notes and are judged on sticking to the five-minute time limit, sticking to the theme and having a story that sticks. QC StorySLAM is is sponsored by Damascus Road QC a nondenominational church dedicated to honesty, compassion and spiritual life.

Contact Information:
Tim Suddarth
(Director, QC StorySLAM / Minister, Damascus Road QC)
(309) 721-7064
QCStorySLAM@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/QCStorySLAM
www.DamascusRoadQC.com
10 May 2013

Students graduate from Dordt College

By Sarah Vander Plaats

SIOUX CENTER, IA (05/10/2013)(readMedia)-- Dordt College awarded 307 diplomas at the 2013 commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10, in the B.J. Haan Auditorium. Among them were the following local students.

Erin Conley of West Liberty, Iowa, graduated with a bachelor of science in engineering degree in engineering.

Abigail Davis of Davenport, Iowa, graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in environmental science.

Among this year's graduates, 288 earned baccalaureate degrees, 13 associate of arts degrees, and six master of education degrees. The baccalaureate degrees presented included bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of science in engineering, bachelor of science in nursing, and bachelor of social work degrees.

Dordt College President Dr. Erik Hoekstra will give the commencement address, "Building for the King." Hoekstra began his term as the fourth president of Dordt College at the start of the academic year.

Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. U.S. News & World Report, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,400 students. To learn more about Dordt College, visit www.dordt.edu.

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