Congress Approves Expanded Whistleblower Protections for Federal Contractors
Government contractors would receive expanded whistleblower protections under bipartisan legislation approved by both the House and Senate.
The House passed the Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act (H.R. 5578) after a similar bill unanimously passed the Senate in May.
Differences between the House and Senate versions must be worked out before the bill can head to President Trump’s desk. The House bill does not cover Intelligence Community contractors.
The legislation comes as the federal government relies heavily on contractors and questions have persisted over whether existing whistleblower laws provide adequate protections.
“This bipartisan bill strengthens protections for federal contractors by closing loopholes that can leave whistleblowers exposed to retaliation. We should always protect whistleblowers and their right to come forward,” said House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-CA).
Bill Details
The legislation specifies that government contractors, subcontractors, grantees and subgrantees, current and former employees, and personal-services contractors are all now “protected individuals.”
The bill prohibits retaliation against contractors who refuse to violate the law, rules or regulations in the course of their work, and protects those who disclose evidence of waste, abuse, mismanagement, or dangers to public health and safety.
In addition, the bill ensures that non-disclosure agreements or conditions of employment would not waive a contractors’ whistleblower rights. It also clarifies that executive branch officials do not have the authority to request that a contractor engage in a reprisal.
“Contractors are no exception and deserve the same adequate protections federal employees have,” said Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY).
The bill has support from more than 200 organizations, including whistleblower advocacy groups.
“With more discretionary spending being directed toward procurement and defense contracting, these provisions are a major, long-overdue step forward for government accountability and fiscal responsibility,” said Stephen Kohn, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Whistleblower Center.
