III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 525 

Designating July 30, 2014, as ‘‘National Whistleblower Appreciation Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 28, 2014 

Mr. GRASSLEY submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating July 30, 2014, as ‘‘National Whistleblower 

Appreciation Day’’. 

Whereas, in 1777, before the passage of the Bill of Rights, 

10 sailors and marines blew the whistle on fraud and 

misconduct harmful to the United States; 

Whereas the Founding Fathers unanimously supported the 

whistleblowers in words and deeds, including by releasing 

government records and providing monetary assistance 

for reasonable legal expenses necessary to prevent retaliation against the whistleblowers; 

Whereas, on July 30, 1778, in demonstration of their full 

support for whistleblowers, the members of the Continental Congress unanimously enacted the first whistleblower legislation in the United States that read: ‘‘Resolved, That it is the duty of all persons in the service 


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•SRES 525 ATS 

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’’ (legislation of July 30, 1778, reprinted in Journals 

of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, ed. Worthington 

C. Ford et al. (Washington, D.C., 1904-37), 11:732); 

Whereas whistleblowers risk their careers, jobs, and reputations by reporting waste, fraud, and abuse to the proper 

authorities; 

Whereas, when providing proper authorities with lawful disclosures, whistleblowers save taxpayers in the United 

States billions of dollars each year and serve the public 

interest by ensuring that the United States remains an 

ethical and safe place; and 

Whereas it is the public policy of the United States to encourage, in accordance with Federal law (including the 

Constitution, rules, and regulations) and consistent with 

the protection of classified information (including sources 

and methods of detection of classified information), honest and good faith reporting of misconduct, fraud, misdemeanors, and other crimes to the appropriate authority 

at the earliest time possible: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates July 30, 2014, as ‘‘National 

3 Whistleblower Appreciation Day’’; and 

4 (2) ensures that the Federal Government imple5 ments the intent of the Founding Fathers, as re6 flected in the legislation enacted on July 30, 1778, 


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•SRES 525 ATS 

1 by encouraging each executive agency to recognize 

2 National Whistleblower Appreciation Day by— 

3 (A) informing employees, contractors work4 ing on behalf of United States taxpayers, and 

5 members of the public about the legal rights of 

6 citizens of the United States to ‘‘blow the whis7 tle’’ by honest and good faith reporting of mis8 conduct, fraud, misdemeanors, or other crimes 

9 to the appropriate authorities; and 

10 (B) acknowledging the contributions of 

11 whistleblowers to combating waste, fraud, 

12 abuse, and violations of laws and regulations in 

13 the United States. 

Æ 


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