III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 522 

Designating July 30, 2016, as ‘‘National Whistleblower Appreciation Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 7, 2016 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. KIRK, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. 

JOHNSON, Mr. CARPER, Mrs. FISCHER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. 

MARKEY, Mrs. BOXER, Mrs. ERNST, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. BOOZMAN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating July 30, 2016, 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: ‘‘ReVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:41 Jul 08, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR522.ATS SR522

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•SRES 522 ATS 

solved, 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’’ (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, 2016, as ‘‘National 

3 Whistleblower Appreciation Day’’; and 

4 (2) ensures that the Federal Government imple5 ments the intent of the Founding Fathers, as reVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:41 Jul 08, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR522.ATS SR522

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•SRES 522 ATS 

1 flected in the legislation enacted on July 30, 1778, 

2 by encouraging each executive agency to recognize 

3 National Whistleblower Appreciation Day by— 

4 (A) informing employees, contractors work5 ing on behalf of United States taxpayers, and 

6 members of the public about the legal rights of 

7 citizens of the United States to ‘‘blow the whis8 tle’’ by honest and good faith reporting of mis9 conduct, fraud, misdemeanors, or other crimes 

10 to the appropriate authorities; and 

11 (B) acknowledging the contributions of 

12 whistleblowers to combating waste, fraud, 

13 abuse, and violations of laws and regulations in 

14 the United States. 

Æ 


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