A bipartisan majority in the House has secured the 218 signatures needed on a discharge petition to compel a vote on legislation that would nullify a March 27 executive order by President Trump that curtailed collective bargaining at numerous federal agencies.
House backers of the Protect America's Workforce Act say their discharge petition has crossed the 218‑signature threshold, triggering a path to a floor vote under House rules. Rep. Mike Lawler (R‑N.Y.) was the 218th signer, according to Federal News Network and a statement from bill co‑sponsor Rep. Jared Golden (D‑Maine). (federalnewsnetwork.com)
The bill, H.R. 2550, would nullify the executive order titled "Exclusions from Federal Labor‑Management Relations Programs," signed on March 27, 2025. That order directed many agencies with national‑security missions to stop collectively bargaining with federal unions, affecting hundreds of thousands of workers across departments including Defense, State and Veterans Affairs, and certain components of Homeland Security, Treasury and Health and Human Services. The administration later expanded the exclusions to additional entities, including the Bureau of Reclamation’s hydropower facilities and NASA. (whitehouse.gov)
The executive order has been the subject of fast‑moving litigation. A federal district judge temporarily blocked key parts of the policy in April, but an appeals court subsequently allowed the order to take effect while challenges proceed. (apnews.com)
H.R. 2550 was introduced April 1, 2025, by Reps. Golden and Brian Fitzpatrick (R‑Pa.). The text states it would void the March 27 order and restore the force of existing collective bargaining agreements. (congress.gov)
Unions representing federal employees have lined up behind the legislation, while the White House has defended the executive order as necessary to ensure agencies with national‑security responsibilities can operate without what it characterizes as union obstruction. No floor date has been announced, but reaching 218 signatures marks the key procedural milestone to seek consideration under the discharge process. (whitehouse.gov)
