With the government now reopened, it is worth taking a moment—in this season of gratitude and reflection—to recognize the extraordinary public servants who keep this country running.
After over a month of upheaval, uncertainty, and political brinkmanship, millions of public servants have come back to workplaces that have been disrupted, demoralized, and intentionally weakened over the past year.
In a moment when authoritarian impulses are rising and federal workers are increasingly treated as political targets, expressing gratitude for public servants is not a small gesture. It is an act of defiance—a reminder that the people inside government matter, that evidence matters, and that democratic values matter.
It is also a reminder that real patriotism looks like the ranger keeping visitors safe in a national park, the NOAA meteorologist issuing storm warnings in the middle of the night, the EPA engineer tracking toxins in drinking water, the HHS specialist monitoring emerging health threats, and the facilities staff maintaining government property.
These workers are not part of some abstract bureaucracy. They are our neighbors, our friends, the parents at school drop-off, and the people next to us in the grocery store.
There is much work ahead. But there is also much to be grateful for—especially the dedication, professionalism, and courage of the people who protect our environment and our health every single day.
This season, I hope we can all take a moment to thank them, and recommit, in the year ahead, to building a government worthy of their service.
With deep appreciation,
Tim Whitehouse
Executive Director
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