National_Whistleblower_Appreciation_Day

National Whistleblower Appreciation Day

National Whistleblower Appreciation Day

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National Whistleblower Appreciation Day is an annual recognition of whistleblowers whose actions have protected the American people from fraud or malfeasance.[1] Each year since 2013, both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives have passed resolutions designating July 30 as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.[2] The 2021 Senate and House resolutions designating July 30 as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day were passed in July, with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) leading the Senate resolution effort and Representatives Jackie Speier (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and Kathleen Rice (D-NY) leading the passage of the House resolution.[3][4]

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Background and History

July 30 has been chosen as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day because it commemorates the passage of the very first U.S. whistleblower law, which was passed on July 30, 1778.[5] The case centered around whistleblowers' complaints about Continental Navy commander Esek Hopkins, whom the whistleblowers alleged participated in torturing captured British sailors.[6] Two of the ten whistleblowers, Samuel Shaw (naval officer) and Richard Marven, were jailed because Hopkins retaliated against them. Marven and Shaw sent a petition that was read to Congress on July 23 that claimed they had done nothing to warrant their arrests, and on July 30, Congress enacted the first whistleblower law.[6][7]

National Whistleblower Day is commemorated each year with passages of resolutions in the House and Senate, but has not been permanently designated as a holiday yet.[8]

National Whistleblower Day Celebrations

Every year on July 30 since 2015, the National Whistleblower Center has hosted a celebration in honor of National Whistleblower Day.[9] The National Whistleblower Day 2021 was held virtually, and nearly 10,000 people were in attendance for the event, which spanned three days.[10] Other National Whistleblower Days have been held on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.[11] Past high-profile guest speakers at National Whistleblower Day celebrations include a host of government officials like Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Ron Wyden, and Michael E. Horowitz, as well as whistleblowers like Enron whistleblower Sherron Watkins, Linda Tripp, Jane Turner (FBI whistleblower), and FBI crime laboratory whistleblower Frederic Whitehurst.[12][13]

Actions of Senate Resolutions

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Actions of House Resolutions

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References

  1. [1]
    Schnell, Gordon (22 August 2016). "Why you should care about National Whistleblower AppreciatIon Day". The Hill. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  2. [2]
    Nelson, Siri (July 30, 2021). "It's Time to Make National Whistleblower Day Permanent". Whistleblower Network News. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  3. [3]
    "Senate Marks National Whistleblower Appreciation Day In Unanimous Resolution". Chuck Grassley. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  4. [4]
    "Speier and Whistleblower Protection Caucus Co-Chairs Introduce Resolution Declaring July 30th National Whistleblower Appreciation Day". Congresswoman Jackie Speier. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  5. [5]
    "The Whistleblowers of 1777 – The Origins of National Whistleblower Day". National Whistleblower Center. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  6. [6]
    Kohn, Stephen (June 12, 2011). "The Whistle-Blowers of 1777". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  7. [7]
    "Journals of the Continental Congress 1774-1789" (PDF). Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  8. [8]
    Nelson, Siri (30 July 2021). "It's Time to Make National Whistleblower Day Permanent". Whistleblower Network News. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  9. [9]
    "National Whistleblower Day". Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  10. [10]
    "Thousands Celebrated National Whistleblower Day 2021". National Whistleblower Center. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  11. [11]
    "July 30, 2018 National Whistleblower Day". C-SPAN. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  12. [12]
    Andrews-Dyer, Helena (July 30, 2018). "Linda Tripp says she was the victim of 'a real high-tech lynching' in first public address since 2000". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  13. [13]
    "Speakers". National Whistleblower Day. National Whistleblower Center. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
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