The U.S. House of Representatives has voted unanimously to pass the Expanding Whistleblower for Contractors Act. The bill was sponsored by Representatives James Comer (R-KY) and Robert Garcia (D-CA) in a bilateral action and passed unanimously in July of 2026. The Act extends existing anti-retaliation provisions, expands covered disclosures and outlaws retaliation by government officials.
Similar bipartisan legislation also passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate in 2025. It had also been sponsored bilaterally Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and the Senate is considering reconciliation for the two bills.
Under both House and Senate Rules protected individuals will now include government contractors, subcontractors and those employed due to government grants. It has extended protection to both current and former employees of these groups. Previously, only direct government employees were protected from retaliation after reporting illegal or fraudulent activity.
Intelligence Community No Longer Protected
Employees within the intelligence community (IC) had also previously been deprived of protections. The proposed new bills ensure that both IC employees and contractors will now be afforded whistleblower protections against retaliation for reporting illegal activity. In addition to protection for reporting illegal activity, whistleblowers including both employees and contractors, who refuse to perform unlawful actions will now be protected from retaliation.
Protected conduct will now include providing evidence of wrongdoing or refusing unlawful orders related to any Department of Defense (DoD) or Department of War (DoW), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), or civilian agency contractor, subcontractor, grantee or people employed due to a government grant. Due to new coverage, contractors can no longer be ordered to engage in retaliation against protected individuals.
Protections Afforded by Whistleblower Protection Laws
Under whistleblower protection laws, workers who report wrongdoing are generally allowed the following protections:
- Provision of Confidentiality. Whistleblowers are often allowed to make reports anonymously. Rules about confidentiality of reporting may vary depending on the agency involved and whistleblowers may be required to obtain legal advice when making accusations anonymously.
- Protection against retaliation. Employers are prohibited from firing, demoting, suspending, or threatening employees due to reports of wrongdoing by their employer or contracting agency.
- Provision for Legal Compensation. Individuals who have been victims of illegal retaliation due to whistleblower reporting may be eligible for compensation. Compensation may include back pay, job reinstatement and payment for damages which may include financial and those affecting mental health.
Under Expanding Whistleblower for Contractors Act protections, whistleblowers must not be prohibited from seeking assistance through the court system and cannot be forced to undergo an internal arbitration process which would keep the events secret. Because similar legislation was passed unanimously in both chambers of Congress, the Act is expected to be enacted after reconciliation between the House and Senate.
