Stronger protections for VA whistleblowers included in bill to keep government open

The Washington Post: A long-stalled plan in Congress to strengthen protections for Veterans Affairs Department employees who disclose waste and misconduct — and to punish officials who retaliate against them — is poised to hitch a ride to enactment this week on the high-priority measure to head off a partial government shutdown.

Authority to continue funding the government beyond the end of its budget year Friday was attached to a spending bill for the VA that contains language to aid whistleblowers there. The Senate is set to take up that measure first and then the House — action needed to prevent a partial government shutdown because regular spending bills bogged down.

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