HR 5578
Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026
Summary
Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2025 This bill expands whistleblower protections for employees of federal contractors and grant recipients to include the act of refusing to obey an unlawful order and to apply these protections to members of the intelligence community and other governmental employees. Current law protects employees of federal contractors or grant recipients from a reprisal (i.e., discharge, demotion, or discrimination) for disclosing evidence to Congress or another appropriate official of certain misconduct involving federal contracts, grants, or funds. The bill expands these protections to include an employee's refusal to obey an order that would require the employee to violate a law, rule, or regulation related to any contract, subcontract, grant, or subgrant. The bill also specifies that these protections apply to employees of federal contractors or grant recipients who are current or former members of the intelligence community or employees of state, local, or tribal governments. Further, the bill specifies that these protections may not be waived in a predispute arbitration agreement and renders any such agreement unenforceable. The bill specifies that an executive branch official may not request a federal contractor or grant recipient to engage in a reprisal against a protected employee, and it authorizes federal agencies to propose disciplinary action against officials that do so.
Bill status
- Status
- Reported
- Sponsor
- Rep. Robert Garcia [D-CA-42]
- Cosponsors
- 1
- Policy area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Introduced
- 2025-09-26
- Latest action
- 2026-07-21: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.
Committee referrals
Recent actions
- 2025-12-02: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0.
- 2025-12-02: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-09-26: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-09-26: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-09-26: Introduced in House