{"bill":{"id":"119-hr-5578","congress":119,"type":"HR","number":5578,"title":"Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026","originChamber":"House","introducedDate":"2025-09-26","sponsors":[{"bioguideId":"G000598","fullName":"Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]","party":"D","state":"CA","district":42}],"cosponsorsCount":1,"latestAction":{"actionDate":"2026-07-21","text":"Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465."},"policyArea":"Government Operations and Politics","subjects":["Administrative remedies","Department of Defense","Employment discrimination and employee rights","National Aeronautics and Space Administration","Public contracts and procurement"],"actions":[{"date":"2026-07-21","text":"Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.","type":"Calendars","chamber":"Senate","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-07-20","text":"Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-07-20","text":"On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4664-4665)","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-07-20","text":"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)","type":"Floor","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-07-20","text":"DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5578.","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-07-20","text":"Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4664-4666)","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2026-07-20","text":"Mr. Burlison moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.","type":"Floor","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-02","text":"Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0.","type":"Committee","chamber":"House committee actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-12-02","text":"Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held","type":"Committee","chamber":"House committee actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-26","text":"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.","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-26","text":"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.","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"House floor actions","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-26","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false},{"date":"2025-09-26","text":"Introduced in House","type":"IntroReferral","chamber":"Library of Congress","hasVote":false}],"summary":"<p><strong>Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2025</strong></p><p>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.</p><p>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&nbsp;appropriate official&nbsp;of certain misconduct involving federal contracts, grants, or funds. The bill expands&nbsp;these protections to include&nbsp;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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;</p><p>Further, the bill specifies that these protections may not be waived in a predispute arbitration agreement and renders any such agreement unenforceable.</p><p>The&nbsp;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&nbsp;action against officials that do so.&nbsp;</p>","updateDate":"2026-08-06T14:47:53Z"},"markets":[],"stateBills":[],"meta":{"sources":["congress.gov"],"latencyMs":547,"ts":"2026-10-13T12:17:30.146Z"},"nextActions":{"inspect":[],"related":[{"description":"Search related legislation","method":"GET","url":"https://simplefunctions.dev/api/public/query-gov?q=Expanding%20Whistleblower%20Protections%20for%20Contractors%20Act%20of%202"}]}}