Grassley, Fetterman Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Successful CFTC Whistleblower Program

Grassley, Fetterman Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Successful CFTC Whistleblower Program

WASHINGTON - Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.) introduced the CFTC Whistleblower Protection and Program Improvement Act of 2026 to provide long-term stability to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) whistleblower program, strengthen protections for whistleblowers and speed up award processing. The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). The legislation follows a 2021 Grassley law bolstering the program.

Grassley is the co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus, and tomorrow, July 30, is National Whistleblower Day. Both Grassley and Fetterman are members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which has jurisdiction over the CFTC. The CFTC ensures America's commodity markets remain fair, transparent and free from fraud and manipulation. This includes the markets farmers rely on to manage the prices of crops, livestock and other agricultural products.

"Since I helped get the CFTC whistleblower program up and running, I'm pleased to see it's been a big success. This program roots out waste, fraud and abuse in the commodities trading industry and operates at no charge to the taxpayer. Now, it's time for Congress to act so its success can continue. Our bipartisan legislation strengthens protections for patriotic whistleblowers, prevents unnecessary delays in the disbursement of whistleblower awards and ensures the CFTC whistleblower program can operate smoothly," Grassley said.

"Whistleblowers put their jobs and often their lives on the line to call out the most serious offenses in the workplace. Zero doubt that they should be protected," Fetterman said. "As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with Senator Grassley to protect whistleblowers and improve the CFTC whistleblower program."

"The Commodity Futures Trading Commission plays a crucial role in protecting American commodity markets, and safeguarding its whistleblower program helps maintain public trust in the integrity of those markets," Collins said. "This bipartisan bill would provide long-term stability for the CFTC whistleblower program by strengthening protections for whistleblowers, promoting the timely processing of claims, and eliminating a loophole that can prevent whistleblowers from receiving awards."

"No one should be punished for speaking out when they see something wrong. This bipartisan bill promotes accountability and bolsters essential protections for people who risk their careers to stand up to fraud and corruption," Warnock said. "This legislation will benefit every American taxpayer, and I'm grateful to work with my colleagues across the aisle to strengthen this vital program."

Background:

Grassley helped create the CFTC Whistleblower Program and Customer Protection Fund (CPF) in 2010, which pays out rewards to whistleblowers for reporting allegations of wrongdoing to the CFTC through fines collected from their disclosures. The CPF also pays for the operating expenses and educational initiatives associated with the CFTC Whistleblower Program. Since making its first award in 2014, the CFTC has made nearly $430 million in whistleblower awards and issued over $3.7 billion in monetary sanctions.

Under current law, the CPF is capped at $100 million. Any fines collected after the cap are sent to the Treasury Department's general fund.

As fines from whistleblower disclosures have increased in volume and value in recent years, reward disbursements have also risen. As a result, the CPF is depleting faster than it can be replenished due to the $100 million collection cap. This leaves the whistleblower office without the resources needed to pay whistleblowers or fund its operations.

In 2021, Congress passed the Grassley-led CFTC Fund Management Act, which established a separate account within the CPF dedicated to program operating expenses. While this allowed the whistleblower office to operate even if the CPF balance is low, it was designed as a temporary fix and will expire in September.

The CFTC Whistleblower Protection and Program Improvement Act of 2026 would:

• Enhance protections for CFTC whistleblowers.
• Make permanent the separate account that funds the CFTC Whistleblower Office.
• Raise the CPF cap from $100 million to $300 million.
• Ensure whistleblower claims are processed in a timely manner.
• Eliminate a court-created loophole prohibiting whistleblowers from receiving an award because a company declared bankruptcy.
• Ensure CFTC-regulated entities inform their employees of their whistleblower rights.

Bill text is available HERE.

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