Bipartisan Discharge Petition Forces House Vote on Federal Worker Bargaining Rights

The U.S. House of Representatives discharge petition for the Protect America's Workforce Act (PAWA) achieved a significant milestone on November 18, 2025, when it secured the 218th signature necessary to force floor consideration of legislation that would restore collective bargaining rights to approximately 670,000 federal workers. Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) provided the crucial 218th signature, following Representative Nick LaLota (R-NY) as the 217th signatory, demonstrating rare bipartisan cooperation on a labor rights issue.

The Protect America's Workforce Act would reverse executive orders signed by President Trump in March and August 2025 that stripped collective bargaining protections from union workers across federal agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Bureau of Prisons, Social Security Administration, Department of Defense, State Department, Justice Department, and Energy Department. Trump's executive orders, which affected roughly 67 percent of the federal workforce, marked what labor leaders described as "the largest act of union-busting in American history."

The discharge petition process is a rarely successful parliamentary maneuver that allows House members to bypass committee leadership and force a floor vote on legislation. It requires signatures from an absolute majority of the House—218 members out of 435. Nearly every Democratic member of the House signed the petition, demonstrating overwhelming support from that caucus. However, the breakthrough came when five Republicans joined Democrats in support, including early champions Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Don Bacon (R-NE), as well as Representatives Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), Nick LaLota (R-NY), and Mike Lawler (R-NY).

The bill was originally introduced in April 2025 by Representatives Jared Golden (D-ME) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in response to Trump's March executive order ending collective bargaining at agencies with claimed national security missions. In April, a federal judge temporarily blocked implementation of the executive order after U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled that key parts of the order couldn't be enforced at roughly three dozen agencies where employees are represented by the National Treasury Employees Union and other labor organizations. However, an appeals court stayed that decision in the summer, allowing agencies to continue canceling collective bargaining agreements.

Key Points

• Discharge Petition 6 for H.R. 2550 (Protect America's Workforce Act) reached required 218 signatures on November 18, 2025
• Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) provided 218th signature; Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) provided 217th signature
• Five Republicans total signed petition: Lawler, LaLota, Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA)
• Nearly every Democratic House member signed, demonstrating overwhelming party support
• Bill would reverse Trump executive orders stripping bargaining rights from ~670,000 federal workers (67% of federal workforce)
• Trump signed executive orders in March and August 2025 affecting VA, Bureau of Prisons, Social Security, Defense, State, Justice, Energy departments
• AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler called Trump's action "the largest act of union-busting in American history"
• Discharge petition is rare parliamentary maneuver bypassing committee leadership to force floor vote
• Requires 218 signatures (absolute majority of 435-member House)
• Bill introduced in April 2025 by Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
• Federal judge temporarily blocked order in April, but appeals court stayed that decision in summer
• Since appeals court ruling, several agencies have rescinded collective bargaining rights with unions
• Historically, successful discharge petitions are rare, but narrow House majorities have made tool more popular recently
• Timeline for actual House floor vote unclear
• NFFE-IAM represents 110,000 federal employees across government agencies
• Some Republicans showing "pro-worker" shift on limited labor issues despite general opposition to union expansion

Author: NFFE-IAM Communications
Source: National Federation of Federal Employees
Link: https://nffe.org/press-release/discharge-petition-for-the-protect-americas-workforce-act-reaches-218-signatures-triggering-house-consideration/