The annual celebration of National Whistleblower Day was held on Capitol Hill on July 30, 2026, commemorating when the U.S. Continental Congress unanimously passed America’s first whistleblower law in 1778.
Produced and organized by the National Whistleblower Center (NWC), the 248th anniversary of the American government’s initial commitment to truth brought together whistleblowers, advocates, lawmakers and members of the media to reflect on the enduring contributions of those who expose wrongdoing and the work that remains to strengthen legal protections.
Held in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building, the event highlighted bipartisan efforts in Congress to expand whistleblower rights and reinforce accountability across government and the private sector.
This year’s celebration featured live remarks from three Senators, as well as a video statement by longtime whistleblower champion and Senate president pro tempore Chuck Grassley. The Senators’ speeches, as well as closing remarks by eminent whistleblower attorneys Tom Devine and David Colapinto, are promising signs for today’s whistleblowers.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden Leads Bipartisan Protection Efforts
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), founding co-chair of the Senate Whistleblower Caucus and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, has long championed stronger whistleblower protections and government oversight.
During his remarks, Wyden announced that earlier that morning, the Committee passed the Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act by a bipartisan vote of 26-1. The legislation, he said, strengthens taxpayer rights and modernizes Internal Revenue Service (IRS) operations, helping build a more efficient, responsive and taxpayer-focused tax administration system.
“[TAS] grants new rights to IRS whistleblowers,” said Wyden, a longtime NWC ally. “The legislation protects whistleblower privacy. It improves cash rewards for whistleblowers who bring valuable information to the IRS. And it requires the IRS to pay interest on awards if they delay paying whistleblowers what they’re owed.”
Wyden co-sponsored the TAS Act, which was introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID). The measure also incorporates several provisions advanced by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and co-chair of the Senate Whistleblower Caucus.
The TAS Act includes more than 60 bipartisan reforms to improve the taxpayer experience, including recommendations from the National Taxpayer Advocate. The Act now awaits consideration by the full Senate. If approved, it must also pass the House before being sent to President Donald Trump for signature.
Beyond tax policy, Wyden praised attendees who have exposed public health risks and corruption, and encouraged continued advocacy to ensure unaccompanied migrant children receive due process protections.
He also previewed a report examining how years of inaction by senior officials at multiple Wall Street banks enabled disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein to move hundreds of millions of dollars through the financial system to support his sex trafficking operation. The report, Looking the Other Way, was released Aug. 4, 2026, and detailed how banks with knowledge of Epstein’s actions failed to blow the whistle. Recognizing the importance of this issue to whistleblowers and their advocates – and continuing his statements from last year’s National Whistleblower Day – Wyden shared this news with the NWD crowd nearly a week before releasing it to the public.
Oklahoma Senator James Lankford Hails Whistleblowers as Patriots
Senator James Lankford (R-OK), a member of both the Senate Whistleblower Caucus and the Senate Finance Committee, has consistently supported government accountability and fiscal responsibility through stronger whistleblower protections.
Making his first National Whistleblower Day appearance since 2019, Lankford, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, compared the role of whistleblowers to the Biblical teaching in Ephesians that “what is whispered in the secret place will one day be shouted from the housetops.”
“What whistleblowers do is they pull a problem out into the sunlight, and sunlight is a great disinfectant,” said the senator, who was also present during the Senate Finance Committee’s morning vote on the TAS Act.
Lankford acknowledged the personal and professional risks many whistleblowers face in service to their families and their country, while expressing hope that their courage will strengthen accountability for future generations.
“And for many of you who have faced consequences for that risk, I want you to know there are many of us doing the work that we can to … create a culture where a whistleblower is not only allowed, [but] encouraged,” he said. “I would much prefer to put on you the word ‘patriot’ than ‘whistleblower,’ because I think it fits better.”
Connecticut Senator Blumenthal Praises Whistleblowers for Making ‘Good Trouble’
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) echoed his Oklahoma colleague’s sentiments praising whistleblowers, and expressed sympathy for their collective plight. He harkened back to his time as an officer of the court and noted, “every whistleblower I have worked with – and I’ve worked with a lot – has ultimately paid a price.”
“Although there may be public attention and headlines at the beginning, there may be lots of thanks and gratitude,” Sen. Blumenthal said, “whistleblowers ultimately pay a price partly because of the public attention, partly because their lives are changed. And also, partly because there is retaliation against them.”
Senator Blumenthal is a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, Committee on Armed Services, and Ranking Member on the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. He invoked the words of the late Georgia Rep. John Lewis, who was known for promoting “good trouble,” and noted that whistleblowers follow in this philosophy. He also praised whistleblowers who first go to the media in an effort to protect themselves from exposing themselves via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
“Whistleblowers are essential,” he said, mentioning the bravery of those who have spoken out about children’s online safety and the inefficient hiring and training practices of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. “We still need public officials to match their courage and determination.”
Taking the Good with the Bad: NWC Co-Founder David Colapinto and Tom Devine of the Government Accountability Project
The day’s events were concluded by a joint address from Tom Devine, Legal Director of the Government Accountability Project (GAP) and NWC Co-Founder and General Counsel David K. Colapinto. Both have been advocates for whistleblowers for decades, and their contributions benefitted those who have spoken truth to power in courtrooms and via federal legislation.
Devine, who has formally or informally assisted more than 7,000 whistleblowers in defending themselves against retaliation, began the address with “good news and bad news.”
The good news, he said, was that the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously passed legislation to close legal loopholes, protect contractor and intelligence community employees, and safeguard workers who refuse unlawful orders.
“After five years of it being kind of a Democratic versus Republican issue, this Congress… made the Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act the strongest law in the United States to defend against retaliation,” Devine said, adding that one issue was left to be resolved, which he hoped would be done expeditiously.
The bad news, he continued, is that the Trump administration has implemented a rule that ends long-standing legal protections for federal employees under the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA).
“Federal employees are the only significant group in the U.S. labor force who can’t defend their free speech rights in court before a jury, and this is completely unacceptable,” Devine said. Instead, he added, federal whistleblowers must seek bureaucratic justice at the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board or Office of Special Counsel. Whistleblowers going to these offices with retaliation claims have been largely unsuccessful. Additionally, MSPB members and OSC employees can be fired on a whim, calling into question whether these bodies are sufficiently independent to provide due process for whistleblowers who are likely reporting on a government office themselves.
Sen. Grassley and others have been credited for attempting to close these loopholes. Still, Devine argued that under the current landscape, “we have to warn whistleblowers against asserting their rights under the Free Speech Law.”
Colapinto echoed these warnings and noted the intention to lobby Congress to correct this legal flaw. When it comes to government employees reporting waste, fraud, abuse and corruption and the need for legal protections, Colapinto noted the public has expressed support. He cited a 2020 Whistleblower Network News survey conducted by The Marist Poll, which showed that 82% of Americans say that passing stronger laws that protect employees who report corporate fraud should be a priority for Congress.
“That’s broad based across all political ideologies,” said Colapinto, who is also a founding partner of Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, LLP. Directly to the audience, he urged: “We can win this fight, but we can’t do it alone. We need your help to go full court press on this issue and turn this around.”
National Whistleblower Day Signals Hope for Federal Whistleblowers
Promoting federal court access for whistleblowers who are currently dependent on the MSPB and OSC is one of NWC’s central priorities in the coming year. The Senate support at this year’s NWD celebration suggests that whistleblower advocates will have allies on this campaign in the coming year.
Plans are already underway for National Whistleblower Day 2027. Visit here to learn more and save the date.
