119th Congress · introduced in the House · Sep 26, 2025
Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Jul 21, 2026): Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Government Operations and Politics
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Sep 26, 2025)
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.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4664-4665)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4664-4665)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5578.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4664-4666)
Mr. Burlison moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
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.
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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Administrative remedies · Department of Defense · Employment discrimination and employee rights · National Aeronautics and Space Administration · Public contracts and procurement
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
3 citations.
NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 21, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
$30,000
Spent on own lobbying
S. 1342Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act HR 4646Whistleblower Protection Act HR 10167Common Cents Act S. 766Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act HR 5578Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act HR 1118 Value Over Cost Act HR 4128FIT Procurement Act S. 874Contractor whistleblowers Comptroller Gener…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION
2026 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026) · posted Apr 21, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
$30,000
Spent on own lobbying
…HR 5339Susan E Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act S 2202EMPOWER Act (IC Whistleblower Protections) N/AWhistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (Jury Trials) HR 5578Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act H.R. 4123 Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act H.R. 7256Federal Workforce Early Separation…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 21, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
$30,000
Spent on own lobbying
…ligence community Funding for Inspectors General S.3005Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act S.3012Shutdown Fairness Act H.R. 4646Whistleblower Protection Act H.R. 5578Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act Information Quality Assuance Act Official Time Reporting Act H.R. 6140Congressional Budget Office Schedu…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing