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119-hr-6302119th CongressWALLET

Whistleblowers Aiding National Security Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]

Introduced

Summary

The bill would create a Defense Exports Control Whistleblower Incentive Program that pays rewards to people who provide original information that leads to civil penalties for violations of defense export controls. It sets rules for submitting tips, protects confidentiality, bars employer retaliation, and funds awards from collected penalties.

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  • Whistleblowers: People can make anonymous reports through a secure online portal and may hire counsel. Awards range from 10% to 30% of the covered civil penalty and are split equally for joint submissions.
  • Workers and employers: Employers are forbidden from retaliating against submitters. Affected workers can sue for remedies such as reinstatement and double back pay, with most suits generally subject to a 6 year limitations period.
  • Department of State and enforcement: The Secretary must issue interim and final rules within 120 and 270 days and create a Defense Export Compliance Accountability Fund to receive fines and pay awards. The program requires credibility checks, deadlines for investigations, and annual reports to Congress.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Protections for whistleblowers and workers

If enacted, the bill would bar employers from firing, demoting, threatening, or otherwise punishing someone for giving original information or taking part in the program. Covered employees could sue in U.S. district court and, if they win, could get reinstatement with the same seniority, twice the back pay owed with interest, and payment of attorneys' fees and expert costs. The bill would protect a submitter’s identity under the Privacy Act, create a FOIA exemption for identifying information, and allow limited confidential sharing with law enforcement. At the same time, the Secretary could deny awards to people who got the information as certain insiders or by illegal means, though narrow exceptions exist for reports needed to stop serious national-security harm, obstruction, or after 120 days of certain internal reporting.

Whistleblower program for defense exports

If enacted, this bill would create a whistleblower incentive program at the State Department for violations of defense export controls. The Secretary of State would set rules and must run a secure public portal and publish notice within 120 days, with a final rule in 270 days. Awards would equal 10%–30% of the civil penalty when your original tip leads to that penalty, and joint tips would split awards equally. The bill would create a Treasury fund to receive fines from covered cases and use that fund, plus any additional collected sanctions if needed, to pay awards and program costs. The law would also authorize whatever sums are necessary for the Secretary to run the program and add an explicit award authorization into current State Department law.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]

TX • D

Cosponsors

  • Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large]

    GU • R

    Sponsored 12/1/2025

  • Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7]

    NJ • R

    Sponsored 2/25/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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