WASHINGTON, D.C. — This Public Service Recognition Week, the Federal Workers Alliance for Democracy (FWAD) proudly reintroduces itself, unveiling a new mission: to empower federal workers to uphold their Oath of Office by fighting authoritarianism and defending the public good.

Across the country, federal workers quietly sustain the foundations of American life. VA employees provide care to millions of veterans each year. Department of Education Staff serve over 50 million students in their elementary and secondary programs, National Park Service employees steward more than 400 sites for American people to enjoy and learn about our land, EPA employees work to improve the air quality for hundreds of thousands of people nationwide, NIH scientists press on to support lifesaving medical research, and FDA employees safeguard the nation's food and medicine supply from contamination and disease.

The honest work of these civil servants makes life livable for each of us, and for that, they should be celebrated and supported, not dismissed as collateral damage for political gain. They are bound by an Oath to the Constitution, and they are committed to serving the American people.

At a time when the federal workforce faces increased political attacks, institutional instability, and mass layoffs to be replaced by less capable AI technologies, FWAD stands with these servants who continue to carry out their duties with integrity. Our public institutions matter. Expertise matters. Systems that care for our neighbors matter. Democracy depends on the people willing to serve it, who have a hope for something larger than themselves. This week, we honor federal workers and commit ourselves to their cause.

And this Public Service Recognition Week, we affirm that the duty of public service requires that we not only continue to care for our neighbor, but that we fight for a better, more democratic system that creates power for all of us — a system where all of us have a say in the decisions that shape our day-to-day lives. We affirm that in 2026, this fight calls us to name the threat of authoritarianism and fight it head-on. And that is precisely what Federal Workers Alliance for Democracy is here to do, hand-in-hand with the broader federal worker movement. Together, we will build a future where all of us can get the care we need and claim the power we deserve.

Federal Workers Alliance for Democracy is a coalition of federal employees, allies, and advocacy groups committed to mobilizing the federal workforce to defend democracy and essential government services.