Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rep. James Comer, Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, announced the bipartisan Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act has passed the House of Representatives by voice vote.
“Whistleblowers play a crucial role in exposing fraud and wrongdoing in our government, and they should never face retaliation for speaking up. 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 Ranking Member Robert Garcia.
“Federal government whistleblowers should feel empowered to come forward and report instances of waste, fraud, and abuse without fear of retaliation. Contractors are no exception and deserve the same adequate protections federal employees have. I’m proud to support the Expanding Whistleblowers Protections for Contractors Act, an important bipartisan bill that strengthens whistleblower protections for all federal government employees and ensures they can come forward without fear of reprisal for certain actions,” said Chairman James Comer.
The bill would strengthen whistleblower protections for federal contractors by prohibiting retaliation for refusal to participate in an activity that violates a law, rule, or regulation. It also protects whistleblowers from retaliation for disclosing information they believe is evidence of mismanagement, waste, abuse, or a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety related to a contract or grant. The bill would ensure that non-disclosure agreements or conditions of employment would not waive a contractor’s whistleblower rights. It would also introduce accountability for executive branch officials and clarify that they do not have the authority to request that a contractor engage in a reprisal.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
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