WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and their colleagues in the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus in a resolution celebrating July 30 as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day. The resolution, which passed unanimously in the Senate, recognizes the brave contributions of whistleblowers to combating waste, fraud, abuse and violations of laws and regulations of the United States, dating back to its earliest days.

On July 30, 1778, the Continental Congress unanimously passed the first whistleblower legislation in the United States, stating that “it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States, as well as all other the inhabitants thereof, to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge.” The resolution reaffirms these principles, and calls on federal agencies to support and encourage whistleblowers to properly disclose knowledge of fraud, waste or misconduct.

Sen. Johnson was joined on the resolution by the full roster of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus including Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). Joining the caucus members on the resolution are Sens., Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia).

This week, Sen. Johnson spoke extensively about the importance of whistleblowers during a Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing.

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

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