Celebrating National Whistleblower Day

It may have been hot and humid, with a brief shower outside, but attendees at the July 27 afterparty could take the heat. Many were whistleblowers, after all — and they crowded the National Whistleblower Center at 3238 P St. NW for this year’s National Whistleblower Appreciation Day celebration.

Yes, there’s a National Whistleblower Day. It is July 30, the day the world’s first whistleblower law was passed by the Continental Congress in 1778.

On July 27, the National Whistleblower Center “honored the contributions of whistleblowers around the world who have bravely stepped forward to expose waste, fraud, and abuse,” they said. Nearly 200 participants, experts, legislators and whistleblowers started the day on Capitol Hill — and met with their top supporter, Sen. Charles Grassley — and finished at NWC’s office in Georgetown “to discuss accomplishments, updates and to share strategies on building effective claims.”

The 10th annual event – the first one held in-person since 2019 – featured a booking signing by Stephen Kohn of his “Rules for Whistleblowers: A Handbook for Doing What’s Right.” Kohn is the center’s board chair.

NWC added: “While the Senate has designated July 30 as National Whistleblower appreciation Day annually, whistleblowers and whistleblower advocates believe that President Biden should sign an executive order permanently establishing National Whistleblower Day and requiring all federal agencies to recognize the day.”

For more information, visit whistleblowers.org/national-whistleblower-day.

Erika Cheung, Theranos whistleblower, at National Whistleblower Center’s P Street office. Photo by Robert Devaney.

tagsContinental CongressErika CheungFederal GovernmentGeorgetown nonprofitJane TurnerNational Whistleblower CenterPresident Joe BidenSenator Charles GrassleySiri NelsonStephen Martin KohnTheranos