During the COVID-19 pandemic, criminal organizations and foreign fraudsters exploited the unemployment system and collected anywhere from $191 billion to $400 billion in fraudulent insurance payments. As a result, millions of Americans had their benefits, or worse, their identities stolen as many were still struggling during the peak of an unprecedented pandemic.
This week, the House passed the bipartisan Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act, which protects taxpayers by empowering and incentivizing states to recover fraudulent payments and improving programs to prevent future fraud. The bill would also extend the statute of limitation for prosecuting the criminals who defrauded the American people.
This is long overdue – the government owes it to the taxpayers to do everything in its power to recoup these funds. I will continue to stand with you and make sure that these criminals are held accountable.
