IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1227 
Recognizing and honoring Dawn Wooten and the integral role that whistle-
blowers play in holding accountable those that endanger members of 
the public and violate this Nation’s laws, often at great personal expense 
and risk. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 18, 2020 
Ms. WILSON of Florida (for herself, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. HAYES, and Mr. 
MCGOVERN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing and honoring Dawn Wooten and the integral 
role that whistleblowers play in holding accountable those 
that endanger members of the public and violate this 
Nation’s laws, often at great personal expense and risk. 
Whereas more than 20 whistleblower statutes protect employ-
ees from retaliation for reporting violations of various 
laws related to public health and safety; 
Whereas whistleblowers put their careers and livelihood, as 
well as that of their families, at risk to alert authorities 
and the American public of grave abuses; 
Whereas, on September 14, 2020, a coalition of organizations 
filed a whistleblower complaint on behalf of Dawn 
Wooten, a nurse working at the Irwin County Detention 
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•HRES 1227 IH 
Center in Georgia, alleging mistreatment of detained mi-
grant women under United States Immigration and Cus-
toms Enforcement custody, including medical neglect and 
a high rate of unnecessary hysterectomies without in-
formed consent; 
Whereas Dawn Wooten has been a practicing nurse for more 
than 10 years, 3 of which she was employed at the Irwin 
County Detention Center; 
Whereas Dawn Wooten contends that she was demoted and 
reprimanded when she spoke out about abusive practices; 
Whereas the practices described in Dawn Wooten’s account, 
including the sterilization of migrant women without con-
sent, constitute grave human rights violations; and 
Whereas Dawn Wooten’s allegations have been corroborated 
by other members of the Irwin County Detention Center 
medical staff, and one former detainee has come forward 
to share that she underwent an invasive surgery without 
her consent while being held at the facility: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the integral role that whistle-
blowers play in holding accountable those that en-
danger members of the public and violate this Na-
tion’s laws, often at great personal expense and risk; 
(2) honors Dawn Wooten for her courage in 
alerting the American public to the reported abuses 
that took place at the Irwin County Detention Cen-
ter in Georgia; and 
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(3) encourages all people of the United States 
to follow Dawn Wooten’s example of bringing light 
to violations that endanger vulnerable populations, 
such as detained migrants. 
Æ 
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