Previous Law was passed and in effect years ago which named NRC employees as those
protected by the law from being identified and retaliated against when they reported wrong doing by the NRC. This activity
was called whistle blowing. The language crafted in the law provided a loophole big enough for the NRC officials to hide behind.
The word contractor was not included in the law; the intent was there, but the actual word was not. This factor heralded
the beginning of "Open Season" on contractors working for The Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I was one of those contractors
working for the NRC.
Let me see, I worked at The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office Site in Arlington,
Texas, Region 4. I took my direction from an NRC employee as supervisor. I was solicited for funds to support
NRC employee birthday parties, retirement luncheons and Christmas parties. I was awarded the same Security Clearance as the
other NRC employees. I was awarded official NRC citations for exceptional job performance. I was assigned and
trusted to escort non NRC and contractor personal in and through "secure" areas. I was at my duty station in the office
99.9 % of the work week compared to 60% to 15% attendance by official "NRC employees". The only real distinction between
me as a "contractor" and "the "official NRC employees" was the name signing my paycheck. That was the only difference.
NRC Commissioner Nils Diaz and his cronies revel in the fact that this "contractor"
loophole in the law shields them from being held accountable for the negligence, bad judgment and shameful conduct of senior
management at the region 4 NRC office in Arlington, Texas that led to my being fired in retaliation. Retaliation for embarrassing
them for allowing a felony criminal operation to be run out of the local NRC office under their very noses.
Commissioner Nils Diaz and the NRC dream team flaunted the loophole in the whistleblower
protection law in Congressman Edward J. Markey's face and practically dared him to do something about it. Congressman Markey
rose to the occasion and did do something about it. He introduced an amendment to the bill which included the language to
protect contractors working for the NRC as well as NRC employees from disclosure and retaliation at the hands of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission management. The amendment was authored and sponsored by a bi-partisan congressional group including
Congressman Edward J. Markey (D) MA and Congressman Joe Barton (R), Texas. I am grateful to these two courageous legislators
for their support and encouragement.
The Bottom Line: Despite all the hard work and support in congress on
my behalf, Commissioner Nils Diaz still turned down my appeal for accountability, fair treatment and compensation for my losses.
He found a loophole large enough to hide behind. Guess what? The loophole has been filled by The Congress of The
United States of America. Guess what else? Commissioner Nils Diaz is still hiding there! The hole is gone,
but he isn't.
