S 874
· 119th Congress
· Government Operations and Politics
Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2025
Sponsor
Latest action
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Action timeline
Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.
May 04, 2026
floor
Received in the House.
May 04, 2026
floor
Held at the desk.
May 01, 2026
floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Apr 29, 2026
passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Apr 29, 2026
passed
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2100-2102; text: CR S2100-2101)
Dec 09, 2025
committee
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Dec 09, 2025
other
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 289.
Jul 30, 2025
committee
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Mar 05, 2025
introduced
Introduced in Senate
Mar 05, 2025
introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Text versions
Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.
CRS summaries
Plain-English summaries written by the Congressional Research Service — neutral, nonpartisan staff who summarize bills as they advance through stages. The authoritative description of what each version of the bill does.
00
Introduced in Senate
Mar 05, 2025
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.
via Congressional Research Service · published through congress.gov
Changelog
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih / is — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh / rfs — Referred to a committee for review.rh / rs — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs / pch — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh / es — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh / rds — Received by the other chamber.eah / eas — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath / ats — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih/is— Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh/rfs— Referred to a committee for review.rh/rs— Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs/pch— Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh/es— Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh/rds— Received by the other chamber.eah/eas— Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath/ats— Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr— Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl— Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp— Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.
+14
−349
30 unchanged
--- Reported (Senate)
+++ Engrossed (Senate)
@@ -1,355 +1,22 @@
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
-[S. 874 Reported in Senate (RS)]
+[S. 874 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
-Calendar No. 289
119th CONGRESS
-1st Session
+2d Session
S. 874
+
+_______________________________________________________________________
+
+AN ACT
To ensure that whistleblowers, including contractors, are protected
from retaliation when a Federal employee orders a reprisal, and for
other purposes.
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
-
-March 5, 2025
-
-Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Grassley) introduced the following
-bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland
-Security and Governmental Affairs
-
-December 9, 2025
-
-Reported by Mr. Paul, with an amendment
-[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
-in italic]
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-A BILL
-
-To ensure that whistleblowers, including contractors, are protected
-from retaliation when a Federal employee orders a reprisal, and for
-other purposes.
-
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
-
-<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding Whistleblower
-Protections for Contractors Act of 2025''.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFENSE CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES: PROTECTION FROM REPRISAL
-FOR DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED> Section 4701 of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (i) in the matter preceding
-subparagraph (A)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (I) by striking ``An
-employee'' and all that follows through
-``services contractor'' and inserting
-``A protected individual'';
-and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (II) by striking
-``disclosing'' and all that follows
-through ``evidence of''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (ii) by striking subparagraphs
-(A), (B), and (C) and inserting the following
-subparagraphs:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(A) Refusing to obey an order that would require
-the protected individual to violate a law, rule, or regulation
-related to any contract, subcontract, grant, or
-subgrant.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) Disclosing to a person or body described in
-paragraph (2) information that the protected individual
-reasonably believes is evidence of the following:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) Gross mismanagement of any
-Department of Defense contract or grant, any gross
-waste of Department funds, any abuse of authority
-relating to any Department contract, subcontract,
-grant, or subgrant, or any violation of law, rule, or
-regulation related to any Department contract or
-subcontract (including the competition for or
-negotiation of a contract or subcontract) or grant or
-subgrant.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) Gross mismanagement of any National
-Aeronautics and Space Administration contract or grant,
-any gross waste of Administration funds, any abuse of
-authority relating to an Administration contract,
-subcontract, grant, or subgrant, or any violation of
-law, rule, or regulation related to any Administration
-contract or subcontract (including the competition for
-or negotiation of a contract or subcontract) or grant
-or subgrant.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(iii) A substantial and specific danger
-to public health or safety.''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (3)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (i) in subparagraph (A), by
-striking ``an employee'' and inserting ``a
-protected individual''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (ii) by striking subparagraph (B)
-and inserting the following
-subparagraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) it shall not be within the authority of an
-executive branch official to request that a contractor,
-subcontractor, grantee, or subgrantee engage in a reprisal
-prohibited by paragraph (1).'';</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) in subsection (c)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end
-the following subparagraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(E) Propose appropriate disciplinary action
-against any executive branch official for any request made of a
-contractor, subcontractor, grantee, or subgrantee that
-subjected the complainant to a reprisal prohibited by
-subsection (a).''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) by striking paragraph (7) and
-inserting the following paragraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(7) Clarification for Scope of Waiver Restrictions.--(A)
-The rights, forum, and remedies provided for in this section may not be
-waived by any public or private agreement, policy, form, or condition
-of employment, including by any predispute arbitration
-agreement.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) No provision of the predispute arbitration agreement
-shall be valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of a dispute
-arising under this section.'';</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (3) by striking subsection (e) and redesignating
-subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (e) and (f),
-respectively;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (4) in subsection (e), as so redesignated--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) by striking ``an employee'' and
-inserting ``a protected individual''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) by striking ``the employee'' and
-inserting ``the protected individual''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (5) in subsection (f), as so redesignated, by
-adding at the end the following new paragraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(8) The term `protected individual' means--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(A) a contractor, subcontractor,
-grantee, or subgrantee of the Department of Defense or
-the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
-including--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) the government of each of
-the several States, the District of Columbia,
-an Indian tribe or authorized tribal
-organization, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
-Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the
-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
-or any other territory or possession of the
-United States;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) the government of any
-political subdivision of, agency of, or
-instrumentality of, a government listed in
-clause (i); and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(iii) an element of the
-intelligence community (as defined in section 3
-of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
-3003)) within the Department of
-Defense;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) an employee of a contractor,
-subcontractor, grantee, or subgrantee of the Department
-of Defense or the National Aeronautics and Space
-Administration, or a former employee of such
-contractor, subcontractor, grantee, or subgrantee whose
-protected disclosure or engagement in any activity
-protected against reprisal under this section occurred
-prior to termination, including an employee of--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) the government of each of
-the several States, the District of Columbia,
-an Indian tribe or authorized tribal
-organization, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
-Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the
-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
-or any other territory or possession of the
-United States;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) the government of any
-political subdivision of, agency of, or
-instrumentality of, a government listed in
-clause (i); and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(iii) an element of the
-intelligence community (as defined in section 3
-of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
-3003)) within the Department of Defense;
-or</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(C) a person performing personal
-services for the Department of Defense or the National
-Aeronautics and Space Administration pursuant to a
-contractual agreement for the performance of personal
-services, including a personal services contract or
-personal services agreement, and who engages in an
-activity for which any reprisal is prohibited under
-subsection (a), including a person performing personal
-services pursuant such a contractual agreement for--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) the government of each of
-the several States, the District of Columbia,
-an Indian tribe or authorized tribal
-organization, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
-Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the
-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
-or any other territory or possession of the
-United States;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) the government of any
-political subdivision of, agency of, or
-instrumentality of, a government listed in
-clause (i); and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(iii) an element of the
-intelligence community (as defined in section 3
-of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
-3003)) within the Department of
-Defense.''.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED>SEC. 3. ENHANCEMENT OF NON-DEFENSE CONTRACTOR PROTECTION FROM
-REPRISAL FOR DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED> Section 4712 of title 41, United States Code, is amended--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) by striking paragraph (1) and
-inserting the following paragraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(1) In general.--A protected individual may not
-be discharged, demoted, or otherwise discriminated against as a
-reprisal for the following:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(A) Refusing to obey an order that would
-require the protected individual to violate a law,
-rule, or regulation related to any contract,
-subcontract, grant, or subgrant.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) Disclosing to a person or body
-described in paragraph (2) information that the
-protected individual reasonably believes is evidence of
-the following:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) Gross mismanagement of any
-Federal contract or grant, any gross waste of
-Federal funds, any abuse of authority relating
-to any Federal contract, subcontract, grant, or
-subgrant, or any violation of law, rule, or
-regulation related to any Federal contract or
-subcontract (including the competition for or
-negotiation of a contract or subcontract) or
-grant or subgrant.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) A substantial and specific
-danger to public health or safety.'';
-and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) in paragraph (3)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (i) in subparagraph (A), by
-striking ``an employee'' and inserting ``a
-protected individual''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (ii) by striking subparagraph (B)
-and inserting the following
-subparagraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) it shall not be within the authority
-of an executive branch official to request that a
-contractor, subcontractor, grantee, or subgrantee
-engage in a reprisal prohibited by paragraph
-(1).'';</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) in subsection (c)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end
-the following new subparagraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(E) Propose appropriate disciplinary
-action against any executive branch official for any
-request made of a contractor, subcontractor, grantee,
-or subgrantee that subjected the complainant to a
-reprisal prohibited by subsection (a).''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) by striking paragraph (7) and
-inserting the following paragraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(7) Rights, forum, and remedies not waivable.--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(A) In general.--The rights, forum, and
-remedies provided for in this section may not be waived
-by any public or private agreement, policy, form, or
-condition of employment, including by any predispute
-arbitration agreement.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) Validity.--No provision of the
-predispute arbitration agreement shall be valid or
-enforceable if it requires arbitration of a dispute
-arising under this section.'';</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (3) in subsection (e)--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) by striking ``an employee'' and
-inserting ``a protected individual''; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) by striking ``the employee'' and
-inserting ``the protected individual'';</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (4) by striking subsection (f) and redesignating
-subsections (g) and (h) as subsections (f) and (g),
-respectively; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (5) in subsection (f), as so redesignated, by
-inserting after paragraph (2) the following new
-paragraph:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(3) The term `protected individual' means--
-</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(A) a contractor, subcontractor,
-grantee, or subgrantee of the Federal Government,
-including--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) the government of each of
-the several States, the District of Columbia,
-an Indian tribe or authorized tribal
-organization, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
-Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the
-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
-or any other territory or possession of the
-United States;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) the government of any
-political subdivision of, agency of, or
-instrumentality of, a government listed in
-clause (i); and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(iii) an element of the
-intelligence community (as defined in section 3
-of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
-3003));</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(B) an employee of a contractor,
-subcontractor, grantee, or subgrantee of the Federal
-Government or a former employee of such contractor,
-subcontractor, grantee, or subgrantee whose protected
-disclosure or engagement in any activity protected
-against reprisal under this section occurred prior to
-termination, including an employee of--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) the government of each of
-the several States, the District of Columbia,
-an Indian tribe or authorized tribal
-organization, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
-Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the
-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
-or any other territory or possession of the
-United States;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) the government of any
-political subdivision of, agency of, or
-instrumentality of, a government listed in
-clause (i); and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(iii) an element of the
-intelligence community (as defined in section 3
-of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
-3003)); or</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(C) a person performing personal
-services for the Federal Government pursuant to a
-contractual agreement for the performance of personal
-services, including a personal services contract or
-personal services agreement, including a person
-performing personal services pursuant to such a
-contractual agreement for--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(i) the government of each of
-the several States, the District of Columbia,
-an Indian tribe or authorized tribal
-organization, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
-Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the
-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
-or any other territory or possession of the
-United States;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(ii) the government of any
-political subdivision of, agency of, or
-instrumentality of, a government listed in
-clause (i); and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> ``(iii) an element of the
-intelligence community (as defined in section 3
-of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
-3003)).''.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
@@ -617,24 +284,22 @@
community (as defined in section 3 of the
National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
3003)).''.
-Calendar No. 289
-
+
+Passed the Senate April 29, 2026.
+
+Attest:
+
+Secretary.
119th CONGRESS
-1st Session
+2d Session
S. 874
_______________________________________________________________________
-A BILL
+AN ACT
To ensure that whistleblowers, including contractors, are protected
from retaliation when a Federal employee orders a reprisal, and for
other purposes.
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-December 9, 2025
-
-Reported with an amendment
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5
filings · 2025 Q3
2
filings · 2025 Q3
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Cosponsors (1)
Members who signed on to support this bill.