[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 122 (Thursday, July 30, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6191-S6192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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    SENATE RESOLUTION 236--DESIGNATING JULY 30, 2015, AS ``NATIONAL 
                    WHISTLEBLOWER APPRECIATION DAY''

  Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Collins, Mr. Tillis, Mr. 
Kirk, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Carper, and Mrs. McCaskill) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 236

       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 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

[[Page S6192]]

     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;
       Whereas whistleblowing is generally defined as the lawful 
     disclosure of information reasonably believed to evidence a 
     violation of law, rule, or regulation, or gross 
     mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, 
     or a danger to public health or safety--and is in contrast to 
     the unlawful disclosure of classified information that 
     threatens the national security of the United States and that 
     violates criminal law; 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
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates July 30, 2015, as ``National Whistleblower 
     Appreciation Day''; and
       (2) ensures that the Federal Government implements the 
     intent of the Founding Fathers, as reflected in the 
     legislation enacted on July 30, 1778, by encouraging each 
     executive agency to recognize National Whistleblower 
     Appreciation Day by--
       (A) informing employees, contractors working on behalf of 
     United States taxpayers, and members of the public about the 
     legal rights of citizens of the United States to ``blow the 
     whistle'' by honest and good faith reporting of misconduct, 
     fraud, misdemeanors, or other crimes to the appropriate 
     authorities; and
       (B) acknowledging the contributions of whistleblowers to 
     combating waste, fraud, abuse, and violations of laws and 
     regulations in the United States.

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