In a stunning act of political betrayal, a small bloc of House Republicans joined Democrats this week to advance legislation aimed at undoing one of President Trump’s most consequential reforms of the federal bureaucracy. By a narrow 222–200 vote on December 10, 13 Republicans broke ranks with GOP leadership and sided with Democrats to push forward Rep. Jared Golden’s Protect America’s Workforce Act, a bill designed to repeal President Trump’s March 2025 executive order curtailing collective bargaining rights for roughly one million federal employees.
The measure was forced to the floor through a discharge petition, a procedural maneuver typically reserved for moments when leadership refuses to entertain legislation that undermines the party’s agenda. That alone signaled the intent: this was not about good governance, but about weakening Trump’s effort to rein in a bloated, union-dominated federal workforce that has long resisted accountability.
President Trump’s executive order targeted collective bargaining in agencies tied to national security and critical government operations, arguing that union rules too often obstruct efficiency, discipline, and mission readiness. Democrats and public-sector unions immediately cried foul, framing the move as “union busting” rather than what it plainly was — an attempt to restore managerial authority and protect taxpayers from an entrenched federal labor cartel.
Yet instead of standing firm, 13 Republicans crossed the aisle to hand Democrats a symbolic victory. Among them were Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, Nicole Malliotakis and Nick LaLota of New York, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Mike Lawler and Tom Kean Jr., Ryan Mackenzie, Zach Nunn, Chris Smith, Pete Stauber, Rob Bresnahan, and Mike Turner of Ohio. Their votes ensured the bill cleared the House and now heads to the Senate.
Golden wasted no time patting himself on the back, insisting the bill was about protecting veterans and defense workers. In reality, many of the federal employees affected by Trump’s order work in agencies where unions have repeatedly slowed reforms, shielded poor performers, and resisted national security priorities. Golden framed the issue as a fight for “workers’ rights,” but critics note that federal employees already enjoy protections far beyond those available to private-sector workers who actually fund the system.
Predictably, union leadership erupted in applause. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler hailed the vote as a victory for organized labor, while the American Federation of Government Employees gushed over Golden’s efforts to restore their bargaining power. Their enthusiasm only reinforced conservative concerns: this bill is about restoring union leverage, not protecting America.
Perhaps the most galling reaction came from Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who proudly touted the vote as proof that “protecting America’s security and respecting America’s workers are inseparable.” Conservatives see it differently. Allowing public-sector unions to negotiate over staffing, discipline, and operations in sensitive agencies has repeatedly proven incompatible with effective governance.
While the bill faces a tougher road in the Senate, it could advance if similar Republican defections occur. Even if it reaches President Trump’s desk, however, it is expected to meet a swift veto. The White House has made clear it will not allow Congress to undo reforms designed to restore discipline and accountability in the federal workforce.
For grassroots conservatives, the episode is a sobering reminder: the biggest threat to reform often isn’t Democrats, but Republicans willing to cave under pressure. As the 2026 elections approach, voters are unlikely to forget who stood with President Trump — and who sided with union bosses instead.
