Two Republicans join Democrats to oppose Trump's order

 

Two Republican senators quietly stepped out of party formation this week—and Washington noticed.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine signed on as co-sponsors to legislation that would roll back Donald Trump’s executive order restricting collective bargaining for most federal unions. In today’s Senate, bipartisan moments like this are rarer than a calm cable news panel.

That said, symbolism and success are not the same thing.

While the move signals discomfort among some Republicans with Trump’s hardline approach to federal workers, it may still fall short of clearing the Senate—especially if GOP leadership decides the bill should never see daylight on the floor.

Why this matters

The House has already passed the American Workers Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), with backing from 20 Republicans. That alone raised eyebrows. The Senate version, sponsored by Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), is now parked in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, waiting to see whether momentum or inertia wins.

Warner framed the issue bluntly:

“Republicans and Democrats alike are recognizing that you can’t run a functioning government by attacking the very workforce that keeps Americans safe.”

Murkowski echoed a similar theme, emphasizing stability over ideology:

“Collective bargaining rights and workplace protections have lifted up federal employees across the United States for decades, protecting them from unsafe working conditions and political retribution.”

In other words: treating federal workers like expendable parts may not be the best national security strategy.

The political reality check

Despite bipartisan sponsorship, Senate leaders remain cautious. Bills without clear Republican buy-in often never reach a vote, regardless of public support or House passage. Some GOP senators argue that restoring collective bargaining could hinder efficiency or complicate agency management—claims supporters say are long on rhetoric and short on evidence.

So the bill’s fate hinges on a simple question:
Can enough Republicans be convinced that worker protections and effective government are not opposites?

Right now, the answer is… maybe. And in Congress, “maybe” is doing a lot of heavy lifting.