In a surprising twist, two prominent Senate Republicans have teamed up with Senate Democrats to back a bill aimed at reversing President Donald Trump’s executive order regarding federal unions. Yet, it’s still uncertain if the bill will actually come to a vote.
Recently, the House of Representatives passed the American Worker Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Jared Golden from Maine. This legislation seeks to overturn a March executive order that prohibited collective bargaining for most federal unions across various branches, including the Departments of Army, Justice, State, Energy, and Veterans Affairs.
While the House vote saw nearly twenty Republicans supporting the measure, it seems unlikely that Senate Republicans will show the same enthusiasm.
Currently, only Senators Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and Susan Collins from Maine have agreed to co-sponsor the Senate version of this bill, which was initially put forward in September by Senator Mark Warner from Virginia.
Collins mentioned in a statement that she shares Golden’s view that collective bargaining rights—established under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978—should be reinstated. Meanwhile, Murkowski expressed her belief that federal workers “deserve these protections.”
“Collective bargaining rights and workplace protections have rallied federal employees nationwide, safeguarding them against unsafe working conditions and political backlash for decades,” Collins added in her statement.
However, moving to override Trump’s executive order might not attract the same bipartisan backing in the Senate. This is particularly evident as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is reviewing the bill, is chaired by Senator Rand Paul, known for advocating right-to-work legislation. Notably, Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri, who usually supports union initiatives, remains skeptical about this bill. “I’m not sure,” he expressed. “Public sector unions and private sector unions appear quite different.”
The House managed to pass the bill with 20 Republicans’ support, which is quite an achievement, especially since it directly critiques one of Trump’s policies.
To rally support for his measure, Mr. Golden initiated a discharge petition, a strategy that aims to bypass leadership and prompt a vote if it garners a majority of House votes. The final count stood at 231-195, with all Republicans opposing it.
While the Senate lacks a similar mechanism, efforts could be made to push a vote on the Senate floor—though this would require Republican buy-in, a challenging prospect. Nonetheless, a source close to Mr. Golden indicated that discussions are ongoing with senators to muster enough support for a full House vote.
Golden mentioned that he and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania are actively engaging with senators to build consensus. He spoke with “several” senators after the House bill passed, noting that a significant effort will ramp up in the upcoming days and weeks.
Also, Senator Warner, advocating for his companion bill in the Senate, remarked that the Republican defections in the House suggest Trump’s executive orders may be excessive. He stated, “Republicans and Democrats alike realize that you cannot manage a functional government by undermining the very workers who ensure American safety. The bipartisan momentum in the House only enhances our position in the Senate, and I plan to leverage that notably.”
