U.S. House Passes Bill Restoring Federal Bargaining Rights

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday to restore collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal workers, overriding executive orders issued by President Donald Trump earlier this year that had stripped those protections from employees at key government agencies.

The Protect America's Workforce Act cleared the chamber in a 231-195 vote, with 20 Republicans joining all voting Democrats in support. The measure, led by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, nullifies Trump's March and August orders, which exempted workers from collective bargaining requirements at dozens of agencies focused on national security, veterans' affairs, and other critical functions. It reinstates union contracts that were in effect prior to the orders, allowing negotiations on working conditions, though federal employees remain prohibited from bargaining over wages, benefits, or striking.

The bill advanced to the floor through a discharge petition, a procedural tool that Golden spearheaded with 218 signatures, bypassing Republican leadership and Speaker Mike Johnson. This maneuver, once rarely used, has gained traction this Congress amid frustrations over...