Republicans Introduce Bill to Fight Unemployment Fraud
Washington, D.C.--Today, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, introduced the Combatting COVID Unemployment Fraud Act of 2021. The bill will prevent fraud in COVID unemployment programs, recover fraudulently paid benefits, and provide relief for taxpayers and victims of unemployment fraud.
A companion
bill was introduced in the House by Ways and Means Ranking Member Kevin
Brady (R-Texas).
“Given the major surge in fraud that has occurred in
unemployment programs nationwide, legislation aimed at preventing and detecting
fraud is warranted and timely,” said Crapo.
“This bill will prevent fraud in COVID unemployment programs, recover
fraudulently paid benefits, and provide relief for taxpayers and victims of
unemployment fraud.”
“This may be the biggest government fraud perpetrated on the
federal government,” said Brady.
“Fraudsters and criminals have stolen up to $200 billion from taxpayers
while Democrats turn a blind eye and refuse to have even a single oversight
hearing. Congress has a responsibility
to protect American families and small businesses.”
The Combatting COVID Unemployment Fraud Act of 2021:
·
Prevents fraud on the front end. Requires verification of identity, earnings,
and prior employment of applicants prior to authorizing benefits and allows
States to claim reimbursement for administrative expenses to improve identity
verification.
·
Supports claw back of fraudulently paid dollars.
Establishes the joint COVID Unemployment
Fraud Taskforce and incentivizes States to go after fraud by allowing them to
retain 5 percent of recovered funds.
·
Provides relief to victims of unemployment fraud
and identity theft. The bill implements
protections for taxpayers and victims of unemployment fraud.
Crapo and Brady also sent a letter
to the U.S. Department of Labor Secretary earlier this month, urging the
Department to implement targeted, timely investments to stop fraud now.
Bill text can be found here.
Click here
for a one-page summary.
Click here for a section-by-section summary.
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