Each year, the National Whistleblower Center (NWC) sends letters to federal agencies urging them to recognize National Whistleblower Day through educational programming. On April 10, NWC sent out the letters calling for the celebration of National Whistleblower Day 2024 on July 30.
For the past ten years, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed an annual resolution designating July 30 as National Whistleblower Day. The resolution encourages federal agencies to celebrate by informing employees of their whistleblower rights and “acknowledging the contributions of whistleblowers to combating waste, fraud, abuse, and violations of laws and regulations of the United States.”
In recent years, a growing number of federal agencies have recognized National Whistleblower Day. Ahead of last year’s National Whistleblower Day, some agencies confirmed with Whistleblower Network News their plans for the holiday.
“We hope to see each agency participate this year,” writes NWC Executive Director Siri Nelson in the letters. “Widespread acknowledgement across the federal government of the importance of whistleblowers could change the culture of retaliation against whistleblowers that persists today.”
“On July 30th, 1778, Congress unanimously passed the first U.S. whistleblower law. All Americans should celebrate this important moment in history,” Nelson explains in the letter. “In the 246 years since Congress first passed this legislation, whistleblowers have played a critical role in preserving American democracy and the rule of law – often at tremendous personal cost. We should honor the courageous contributions of these past whistleblowers and be conscious of the continued need to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Last year, a group of whistleblowers launched a grassroots campaign urging President Biden to sign an Executive Order permanently recognizing July 30 as National Whistleblower Day. The campaign, spearheaded by FBI whistleblowers Jane Turner and Fred Whitehurst, Enron whistleblower Sherron Watkins, Army Corps of Engineers whistleblower Bunnatine Greenhouse, and Second Chance body armor whistleblower Aaron Westrick, has resulted in thousands of letters being sent to the White House.
During a Senate confirmation hearing in November, Hampton Dellinger, the new Special Counsel heading the Office of the Special Counsel (OSC), expressed his commitment towards protecting whistleblowers and voiced his support for an annual National Whistleblower Day.
“Federal government whistleblowers deserve and are legally entitled to robust protection from retaliation,” Dellinger said. “I strongly agree we should have an annual designated National Whistleblowers Day to acknowledge their inestimable contributions to government accountability and transparency.”
