[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1717-S1718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     American Energy Innovation Act

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, last week, I introduced an amendment to 
the American Energy Innovation Act. My amendment addresses a critical 
shortcoming with whistleblower protections currently available to power 
sector employees and those who are responsible for maintaining and 
securing our Nation's electric grid.
  For those who are unfamiliar, the electric grid is managed by a 
patchwork of public and private entities. Unfortunately, that means 
patchy coverage for energy sector employees under our current 
whistleblower protection laws. Federal workers are covered under the 
Whistleblower Protection Act, but other workers have to rely on State 
and local laws for protection if they exist.
  For many on the frontlines, these whistleblower protection laws don't 
exist. Just last year, according to a news report, power company 
employees raised concerns about equipment introduced to improve 
efficiency that they believed posed a threat to starting wildfires. I 
hope we all remember the fires in California--I think 1 and 2 years ago 
or 2 and 3 years ago--with terrible destruction, terrible loss of life. 
Eighty-five people in California, I think, lost their lives because of 
that type of fire.
  One of these employees raised his concern about the threat of this 
equipment starting wildfires. It was reported that he was fired for 
simply blowing the whistle. If it turns out the employee was fired for 
blowing the whistle in the interest of public safety, that should be 
unacceptable to all of us.
  As a country, we should be encouraging whistleblowers who know of 
threats to the security of our electric grid to come forward and report 
what they know. We owe it to them to ensure that when they do, they 
will be

[[Page S1718]]

protected--in other words, not lose their job. Isn't that common sense?
  That is exactly what my amendment does. My amendment makes it clear 
that power sector employees who report threats to our electric grid are 
protected from retaliation; if they are fired, they can file a 
complaint with the U.S. Secretary of Labor. In that regard, this 
amendment brings whistleblower protections for energy sector employees 
in line with more than a dozen other whistleblower laws established by 
the Congress in recent years. I have been involved in a lot of those 
whistleblower protection laws.
  Next week is Sunshine Week--a time when we celebrate the importance 
of transparency and accountability in government. With transparency, 
you get accountability, and the public's business ought to be public. 
The protection of our citizens from forest fires that are a result of 
bad equipment that electric companies are using--if you report unsafe 
conditions, you shouldn't be fired for it.
  When we think about securing our electric grid, sunlight and 
transparency bring accountability, but they also bring attention to 
potential risks to our public safety and to our national security. They 
can potentially save lives. That is something I am certain we can all 
get behind and should be behind.
  I am very thankful to Senator Markey for cosponsoring the amendment 
and for his support of this amendment. I strongly encourage all of my 
colleagues to support this amendment as well.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Braun). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.