On July 30, 2015, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin was a guest speaker at the first Congressional celebration of National Whistleblower Day. The event, hosted by the National Whistleblower Center, marked the commemoration of July 30th as National Whistleblower Day and recognized the passage of the first ever whistleblower law that date in 1778, as well as the crucial role whistleblowers play today in defending our nation from waste, fraud and abuse.
“What we’re talking about here with whistleblowers, people who have the courage to step forward isn’t some theoretical issue of efficient government, effective government and accountable government, we’re talking about people’s lives, we’re talking about life and death situations. We need to make every protection available to those men and women who have the courage to go above their immediate boss, go above their layers of management, put their careers on the line,” Senator Johnson told a packed room.
Watch Senator Johnson’s entire speech.
The Senate also passed a non-binding resolution for the third consecutive year marking July 305h as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day. However, more needs to be done.
Congress needs to pass legislation that would require the heads of each federal agency use National Whistleblower Day as an opportunity to set the ‘tone at the top,’ calling public attention to the contributions whistleblowers have made to American democracy and their own agencies. The legislation needs to have all federal agencies highlight the role whistleblowers have played in their agencies to combat waste, fraud, and abuse and enforce the laws of the land.
- Take Action: Tell the President and Congress to Establish A Permanent Day to Recognize the Contributions of Whistleblowers.
- Learn more about the National Whistleblower Day Campaign.
