July 30 is National Whistleblower Day, a day to honor and celebrate brave whistleblowers who, at great risk to themselves and their families, come forward to expose fraud, abuse, and all other forms of misconduct.
For the 10th year in a row, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution officially designating July 30 as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day. The resolution encourages every federal agency to inform its employees of their whistleblower rights and “acknowledge the contributions of whistleblowers to combating waste, fraud, abuse, and violations of laws and regulations of the United States.”
“Whistleblowers are brave individuals who sound the alarm on fraud, waste, and abuse of public resources,” said Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), one of the sponsors of the resolution.
“Protecting whistleblowers is good government, plain and simple, and that’s something we can all get behind,” added Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), another sponsor.
On July 27, the National Whistleblower Center (NWC) is set to celebrate National Whistleblower Day with an in-person event on Capitol Hill. The event will feature live remarks by Senator Grassley as well as panels and speeches by notable whistleblowers.
While the Senate continues to recognize National Whistleblower Day on an annual basis, a group of whistleblowers are leading a campaign calling on President Biden to sign an Executive Order permanently designating July 30 as National Whistleblower Day.
“The time has come for a culture change, for President Biden to elevate whistleblowers to the status they deserve as people of integrity,” WNN’s Jane Turner wrote in an op-ed explaining the campaign. “It is time to support whistleblowers by making National Whistleblower Day permanent. The world needs to know the United States government stands behind whistleblowers, provides recognition, and honors their sacrifices.”
Join the Campaign to Make National Whistleblower Day Permanent