The House voted 231-195 to restore collective bargaining rights for federal employees, with 20 Republicans joining Democrats to overturn a March executive order from President Trump. The order targeted about 600,000 of the 800,000 workers represented by the AFGE, including staff at the VA and Defense Department. The bill reached the floor via a discharge petition led by Rep. Jared Golden and drew praise from AFGE and the AFL-CIO, but it still faces long odds in the GOP-controlled Senate.
House Votes 231-195 To Overturn Trump Order, Restoring Collective Bargaining For Federal Workers
President Donald Trump speaks at Mount Airy Casino Resort, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Mount Pocono, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday voted 231-195 to restore collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees, with 20 Republicans joining Democrats in a rare break with President Donald Trump. Lawmakers brought the measure to the floor using a bipartisan discharge petition that bypassed Republican leadership; the bill still must clear the Senate to become law.
The executive order President Trump issued in March sought to strip collective bargaining protections from employees at federal agencies with national-security missions, citing authority under a 1978 statute. The order targeted roughly 600,000 of the 800,000 federal workers represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), including employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.
AFGE challenged the moves in court, calling them illegal and retaliatory. In May, an appeals court permitted the administration to move forward with implementing the order while the litigation continues.
Support and reaction
Union leaders praised the House vote. AFGE President Everett Kelley called the outcome a "seismic victory," and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said, "We commend the Republicans and Democrats who stood with workers and voted to reverse the single largest act of union-busting in American history."
Why the measure reached the floor
The bill reached the floor after Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine led a discharge petition. Any member can force a floor vote if a petition obtains 218 signatures in the 435-member House — a tactic used more frequently this session amid frustration with GOP leadership.
All House Democrats who voted supported the measure. Several Republicans who joined Democrats — including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a co-sponsor — stressed that restoring bargaining rights was about fairness for federal employees rather than a direct rebuke of the president. Fitzpatrick said on the floor: "Reinstating these rights is not a concession — it is a commitment. A commitment to treat federal workers with dignity..."
"Every American deserves a voice in the workplace, and that includes the people who keep our government running and open,"
New York Rep. Mike Lawler said before voting in favor.
New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who switched parties during Trump's first term, said his vote reflected constituent needs: "No message here at all. This is a New Jersey message. I got to take care of my people. And I’ve always been supportive of unions."
Outlook
Passage in the Republican-controlled Senate appears unlikely, making the bill's fate uncertain. Still, the House vote marked a notable formal rebuke of an administration executive action and underscored growing use of discharge petitions as a tool to force high-profile votes.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
