Sen. Chuck Grassley

Our nation’s founders recognized the merits of blowing the whistle on government wrongdoing. How do we know? On July 30, 1778, the Continental Congress unanimously enacted whistleblower legislation, signaling for future generations that telling the truth is an act of patriotism.

The Congress of 1778 wrote:

“It is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States, as well as all other inhabitants thereof, to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge.”

So, what prompted delegates just two years into the American Revolution to propose whistleblower protections in the first place? On February 19, 1777, 10 brave sailors aboard the USS Warren determined it was their duty to report wrongdoing against Commodore Esek Hopkins, Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy. Knowing they could be considered traitors in wartime, the sailors bravely issued a petition outlining Hopkins’ crimes, including his violation of orders to treat British prisoners humanely. They reported the Commander for torture and mistreatment “in a very unbecoming and barbarous manner.”

Commodore Hopkins retaliated by slapping his accusers with a criminal libel suit. In response, the Continental Congress enacted legislation to protect the sailors, paving the way for whistleblowers to speak up. Despite scarce...

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