Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Gary Peters
Passed Senate
Summary
Expands whistleblower protections for people who work on Department of Defense and NASA contracts. It would broaden who is protected, widen the kinds of disclosures covered, and bar officials from pushing contractors to retaliate.
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- Who is covered: Contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, covered state and territorial governments, their employees and former employees, and people hired under personal services contracts would all be treated as protected individuals.
- What counts as protected activity: Refusing orders that would violate laws tied to a contract and reporting gross mismanagement, gross waste of agency funds, abuse of authority, violations of law, or substantial and specific dangers to public health or safety would be protected.
- Enforcement and limits: The bill would prevent employers and parties from waiving these rights through agreements like predispute arbitration, prohibit executive branch officials from soliciting reprisals, and require seeking disciplinary action against officials who try to induce retaliation.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger whistleblower rights for federal contract workers
If enacted, this bill would strengthen whistleblower rights for people who work on federal contracts and grants. It would cover contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, their employees and some former employees, and people hired under personal‑services contracts, including some intelligence roles. You would be protected if you refuse an order that would break a law or rule, or if you report gross waste, mismanagement, abuse of authority, legal violations, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety to designated officials. Employers would not be allowed to fire, demote, or punish you for that. Executive branch officials would be barred from asking for retaliation and could face proposed discipline, and employers would not be able to force you to waive these rights through predispute arbitration or other agreements. The protections would apply to Defense and NASA work and to other federal agencies.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Gary Peters
MI • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 7/15/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov