Dear Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith:
On behalf of the 15 million workers and 65 affiliate unions represented by the AFL-CIO, I urge you to vote YES on the Norcross Amendment to H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, which would prohibit the use of Department of Defense funds to implement Executive Order 14251 and restore collective bargaining agreements terminated pursuant to that order.
Executive Order 14251, issued by President Trump in March 2025, was the single biggest act of union busting in American history. It stripped approximately one million federal workers across the government of their collective bargaining rights, not for any legitimate national security reason, but in retaliation for unions doing their jobs: being a voice for workers and defending their members against unjust personnel actions by filing grievances and lawsuits. The House has already passed legislation to undo this action government-wide, and bipartisan legislation is pending in the Senate to do the same. In the meantime, the Armed Services Committee once again has an opportunity to do right by Department of Defense employees by restoring the rights they had been exercising for over 60 years as well as the signed agreements they negotiated with management.
Department of Defense employees, over 300,000 of whom are veterans, deserve a voice on the job. That voice ensures the efficient and effective delivery of services. It ensures that someone has the back of those who would blow whistles on waste, fraud, and abuse. It ensures fair treatment, not just because it is right but because it is important for morale and maintaining a highly skilled and talented workforce.
Please vote YES on the Norcross Amendment. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jody Calemine
Director, Government Affairs