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H.R. 5578 119th Congress House

Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026

Official title: To ensure that whistleblowers, including contractors, are protected from retaliation when a Federal employee orders a reprisal, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 26, 2025 Introduced by: Robert Garcia Democratic · California See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Administrative remediesDepartment of DefenseEmployment discrimination and employee rightsNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationPublic contracts and procurement
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 Everywhere this bill has been 11 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 21, 2026
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.
Jul 20, 2026 · 5:14 PM EDT
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5578.
Jul 20, 2026 · 5:14 PM EDT
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4664-4666)
Jul 20, 2026 · 5:18 PM EDT
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jul 20, 2026 · 5:18 PM EDT
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4664-4665)
Jul 20, 2026 · 5:18 PM EDT
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)
Jul 20, 2026 · 5:14 PM EDT
Mr. Burlison moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Dec 2, 2025
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0.
Dec 2, 2025
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Sep 26, 2025
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.
Sep 26, 2025
Introduced in House
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What's happening now July 21, 2026

Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

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. 

 Hearings & markups 1
 Related & companion bills 2
  • S 4631 Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026
  • S 874 Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2025
 Bill text 3 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Comer, James
Kentucky · Sep 26, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5578: Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5578/
MLA
"H.R. 5578: Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5578/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5578, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5578/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5578: Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5578/)
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