H.R. 5578: Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026

119th Congress · introduced 2025-09-26 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 465.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026

Plain 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5578, Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act (2026-01-26)

Cosponsors on this site

James Comer (R-KY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] reported raising $3.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119hr5578.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/hr>

Record fed-us-cong119-hr5578 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills