Homeland Security

Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 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.

Held at the desk.

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security.

This resolution recognizes the importance of fully funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The resolution also (1) cautions that Americans are at greater risk each day DHS is subject to a lapse in appropriations, and (2) expresses gratitude to DHS employees for their commitment to protect the United States.

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025

Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 This bill expands a requirement for federal agencies to report expenditures on the USAspending.gov website to include other transaction agreement expenditures. (Other transaction agreements, or OTAs, are contractual instruments other than standard procurement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements; they are exempt from many federal procurement laws and regulations). Under current law, federal agencies must report expenditures on federal awards to USAspending.gov with the term federal award defined as federal grants, loans, cooperative agreements, contracts, and certain other types of expenditures. This bill expands the definition of federal award to include expenditures under OTAs, and therefore such expenditures must be included on the USAspending.gov website. The Department of the Treasury must ensure that data relating to OTAs are automatically transmitted to the website and a centralized view of this data is available on the website. Treasury must also annually post on the USAspending.gov website a report that includes (1) the total amount of federal spending on federal awards for which data has not been posted on the website, and (2) the reason why such spending data was not posted. For 10 years after enactment, the Office of Inspector General of specified federal agencies must periodically submit to Congress and make publicly available a report assessing the agency's spending data and use of data standards.

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.

Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2025

Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2025 This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect information from federal agencies and report to Congress regarding projects that are behind schedule or have expenditures that have exceeded the original cost estimate. Specifically, the bill requires OMB to issue guidance directing federal agencies to annually submit specified information to OMB regarding certain federally funded projects that (1) are more than five years behind schedule, or (2) have expenditures that are at least $1 billion more than the original cost estimate for the project. Among other information, the agencies must submit to OMB a description of each project; an explanation of any change to the original scope of the project; the original and current expected dates for the completion of the project; the original and current cost estimates adjusted for inflation; an explanation for any delays in completing the project or increases in the cost; and the amount of and rationale for any award, incentive fee, or other type of bonus awarded for the project. The bill also requires OMB to submit an annual report to Congress containing the information submitted by the agencies and post the report on the OMB website.

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.

Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025

Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025 This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to revise the guidelines for federal agencies with respect to the dissemination or use of influential information or evidence , which means information or evidence about which an agency can reasonably determine that reliance on or dissemination of has, or will have, a clear and substantial impact on important public actions, policies or statements, or on important private sector decisions. The guidelines must ensure that federal agencies rely on the best reasonably available influential information and evidence that is appropriate for the purpose when developing, issuing, or informing the public about the rules and guidance of the agency. An agency also must publish (1) the critical factual material relied on as part of the rulemaking or guidance development process, and (2) a citation to any other source used to inform the rulemaking or guidance development process. The guidelines must also require an agency to provide certain opportunities for the public to comment on the critical factual material upon which the agency relied.

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Breaking the Gridlock Act

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 319.

Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act

Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act This bill permanently allows the Department of the Treasury to access certain death records maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in order to facilitate the identification and prevention of improper payments (e.g., payments to deceased individuals). Current law requires the SSA to share its Death Master File with the Do Not Pay system maintained by Treasury for three years. The bill makes this requirement permanent.

Became Public Law No: 119-77.

Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act

Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 the board that administers the Congressional Award Program, which promotes and recognizes service, initiative, and achievement in America's youth. The reauthorization is effective as if enacted on October 1, 2023. The bill also removes a requirement for program medals to consist of gold-plate over bronze, rhodium over bronze, or bronze.

Became Public Law No: 119-66.