This year’s National Whistleblower Day commemorates the 248th anniversary of America’s first whistleblower law. The event, held on July 30th by the National Whistleblower Center (NWC), will feature speeches from prominent Senators, journalists, regulatory officials, and whistleblowers.
Among that list is Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a longtime advocate for the rights of whistleblowers who make disclosures to their Congressional representatives. Senator Blumenthal served as Connecticut’s Attorney General for two decades before being elected to the United States Senate in 2010. Currently, he is the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and a member of the Judiciary Committee.
David Colapinto, Founder and General Counsel of NWC lauded the Senator’s tireless advocacy on behalf of whistleblowers. “Senator Blumenthal has been a longtime supporter of whistleblowers, dating back to the time when he was Attorney General of the state of Connecticut. His early opposition to nondisclosure agreements that prohibited employees from reporting nuclear safety concerns in that role was critical to protect whistleblowers in their right to prevent nuclear accidents.”
In March 2025, Senator Blumenthal led the reintroduction of the Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act (S.1154), which would ensure that federal whistleblowers could exercise their rights in federal court. Notably, the Senator’s office has also cooperated with numerous whistleblowers to coordinate their testimony before Congress. In October 2021, Senators Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) brought Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen before the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy. Leading the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation’s 2024 inquiry into Boeing, Blumenthal publicly recognized whistleblower Sam Salehpour for his courage in the face of egregious retaliation.
Senator Blumenthal has also cosponsored vital pieces of whistleblower legislation. Among them is the Senate resolution for National Whistleblower Appreciation Day, commemorating and honoring whistleblowers on July 30 for their contributions to democracy and society. Senators Blumenthal and Grassley have also championed the Securing Inspector General Independence Act, which would require regular training for federal employees on their whistleblower rights. Senator Blumenthal’s work is integral to ensure that whistleblowers retain the rights and protections empowering them to expose fraud, corruption, and wrongdoing across both the private and public sectors.
