FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2026
May 19, 2026
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Rob Bresnahan and Brian Fitzpatrick for Reelection to Congress
Categories:
Congress, Election 2026, House
AFGE says Bresnahan and Fitzpatrick always stand with federal workers
CORAOPOLIS, Pa. – The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Brian Fitzpatrick for reelection to the U.S. House representing Pennsylvania in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is today, May 19, and the general election is Nov. 3.
Rob Bresnahan, 8th Congressional District
Rep. Rob Bresnahan represents Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District, home to Tobyhanna Army Depot and thousands of federal workers across Northeastern Pennsylvania. Since taking office, he has emerged as one of the most active freshman Republicans in Congress on federal workforce issues, spearheading the discharge petition that forced a House floor vote on the Protect America’s Workforce Act to restore federal collective bargaining rights, voting to pass the bill, and co-leading the Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act to bring correctional officer pay in line with other federal law enforcement agencies.
“Rob Bresnahan took a courageous stand to defend federal collective bargaining and has fought every day for the pay and dignity of correctional officers, VA staff, SSA workers, and TSOs across our region. That’s why AFGE named him Outstanding New Member of Congress at our 2026 Legislative Conference,” AFGE District 3 National Vice President Phil Glover said. “AFGE District 3 is proud to endorse him for re-election.”
The endorsement reflects Bresnahan’s record on the issues that matter most to AFGE members in Northeastern Pennsylvania: leading legislation to correct Wage Grade pay at Tobyhanna Army Depot, advancing a 35 percent pay raise for Bureau of Prisons employees at USP Canaan, pushing for better staffing at VA and SSA, and opposing TSA privatization in Scranton. Bresnahan also was an original cosponsor of the House version of the Shutdown Fairness Act to ensure federal workers are paid during government shutdowns.
Brian Fitzpatrick, 1st Congressional District
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick represents Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District and co-chairs the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, where he has emerged as one of the leading Republican voices in Congress for America’s federal workforce. A former FBI agent who knows firsthand what public service demands, Fitzpatrick introduced the Protect America’s Workforce Act to restore federal collective bargaining rights after the Trump administration’s executive order stripped them away, and he was the first member to sign the discharge petition that forced a House floor vote.
“When the Trump administration came after federal collective bargaining rights, Brian Fitzpatrick didn’t flinch. He introduced HR 2550 to restore them and was the first to sign the discharge petition to force a vote. He has consistently championed the FAIR Act, the Saving the Civil Service Act, and the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act to defend the pay and dignity of every federal worker,” AFGE District 3 National Vice President Phil Glover said. “AFGE is proud to endorse Brian Fitzpatrick for reelection, and we’re going to send him back to Washington to keep fighting alongside us.”
The endorsement reflects Fitzpatrick’s record across the federal workforce agenda. He has long championed the FAIR Act to deliver a real pay raise for federal employees, cosponsored the Saving the Civil Service Act to block Schedule F, and cosponsored the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act to secure TSOs the contract protections they have earned. Fitzpatrick also is an original cosponsor of the House version of the Shutdown Fairness Act, which guarantees federal workers are paid during government shutdowns. Congressman Fitzpatrick was honored at AFGE’s 2026 Legislative Conference with the Outstanding Dedication to Federal Employees award.
More than 66,000 federal employees live in Pennsylvania – caring for veterans, supporting the military, and getting Social Security recipients their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents nearly 33,000 federal employees in District 3, which includes Delaware and Pennsylvania.
###
Click here to Donate to the AFGE Federal Employee Defense Fund.
For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.
Follow us on:
