Here’s a recap of what Republicans achieved on the House Floor this week:
Fully Funding ICE and CBP Officers ✅
After four years of chaos at the border under President Biden, President Trump and Republicans delivered the most secure border in modern history, with illegal crossings plummeting to record lows. Yet for more than 100 days, congressional Democrats have refused to advance funding for the agencies on the front lines of homeland security: ICE and Border Patrol.
Every day, ICE and CBP officers put themselves in harm's way to combat terrorism, dismantle human trafficking networks, stop the flow of deadly drugs, take down cartels, and keep Americans safe. Yet Democrats have repeatedly chosen far-left political games over providing these brave men and women with the resources they need to do their jobs.
Without sustained funding, the progress made over the last several months cannot be maintained. That's why House Republicans passed the Secure America Act. This measure fully funds ICE at $38 billion, CBP at $26 billion, and provides an additional $5 billion to address unforeseen operational needs.
Introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham, S. 2, the Secure America Act will fully fund ICE and CBP through fiscal year 2029, guaranteeing these agencies have the necessary resources to carry out President Trump’s border agenda and ensuring congressional Democrats will no longer be able to stymie the funding required to keep Americans safe.
"The Secure America Act is headed to President Trump’s desk, and our brave men and women who stand on the thin line to defend our sovereign borders and safety finally have the funding and certainty they need to do their jobs. For 76 days, Democrats held the Department of Homeland Security hostage. They walked away from the appropriations process, shut down Homeland Security operations, and used the safety of the American people as political leverage. Even today, every single House Democrat voted to defund ICE and Border Patrol,” said Chairman Arrington. "But Republicans, who were elected up and down the ballot by the American people to secure the border, enforce the law, and restore order, refused to allow this backhanded attempt to revive the chaos of the Biden-Harris open border policies. The American people fundamentally rejected the chaos of the last four years. They elected Republicans for the promise of secure borders, safer communities, and restoring rule of law. The Secure America Act makes good on that promise."
What Members Said:
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis applauded the Secure America Act's support for law enforcement and safety for Americans.
Rep. Robert Aderholt emphasized how Republicans are continuing to deliver on their promise to protect American families.
Rooting Out Fraud in Federal Student Aid ✅
Federal student aid programs provide loans, grants, and work-study assistance to help students afford a post-secondary education. But increasingly, fraudsters are exploiting the system by posing as fake "ghost students" and stealing taxpayer-funded aid.
A lack of financial means should never prevent a student from pursuing an education. Yet every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar that cannot go to a deserving student. In FY24, 9.9 million students received $120.8 billion in aid through the Office of Federal Student Aid. That same year, California online colleges reported that 34% of aid applicants were likely fraudulent, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards.
To protect students and taxpayers, House Republicans passed legislation requiring the Department of Education to use fraud detection systems to identify suspicious FAFSA applications. Applicants flagged by the system would be required to verify their identity through an in-person meeting or video call before receiving aid. In a 2025 pilot program, the Department estimated these safeguards saved taxpayers more than $1 billion.
H.R. 7892, the No Aid for Ghost Students Act, by Rep. Burgess Owens, tackles fraud in student aid by requiring the Secretary of Education to use a detection system to review, identify, and investigate suspicious FAFSA applications before any aid is distributed. The legislation also strengthens accountability by prioritizing audits of schools that recklessly distribute aid to unscreened or suspicious applicants.
"In 1894, Frederick Douglass said, 'To deny education to any people is one of the greatest crimes against human nature [because] it is to deny them the means of freedom and the rightful pursuit of happiness.' That is why the issue of fraud in our financial aid programs is so pernicious. Because every dollar that goes to a scammer and a 'ghost student' is a dollar that doesn’t go to the students who need it the most," said Rep. Owens."The Department of Education under President Trump just blocked more than $1 billion in fraudulent requests last year, but the guardrails they are implementing aren’t required by law. My bill fixes that and ensures that the hard-earned tax dollars coming out of the pockets of Americans are being shielded from fraudsters permanently."
What Members Said:
Rep. John Jamesmade it clear that the effects of fraud are far-reaching and take away vital resources for students across the country.
Rep. Vince Fong underlined that taxpayer dollars must be only given to real, hardworking students, and not to thugs trying to game the system.
Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars in National Emergencies ✅
Every year, the federal government loses hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent and improper payments. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), those losses total between $233 billion and $521 billion annually. Far too often, these hard-earned dollars are gone for good, with no chance to be recovered.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed just how vulnerable federal emergency programs are to waste, fraud, and abuse. As the government rushed to distribute an unprecedented influx of federal spending, the need for rapid deployment, and limited safeguards strained oversight systems and left billions of taxpayer dollars vulnerable to fraud. Once those payments were made, much of the money was impossible to recover. Americans expect the government to respond quickly during times of crisis, but they also expect taxpayer dollars to be protected.
While Congress may never know how much money fraudsters ripped off from the American people, the estimated hundreds of billions of dollars dispersed in fraudulent payments are unacceptable. To combat this preventable problem, House Republicans passed H.R. 8312 this week, which will establish permanent preventative measures that provide greater oversight of emergency funds and can flag suspicious payments before they are lost for good.
Rep. Pete Sessions’ legislation, H.R. 8312, the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act, expands U.S. Treasury Fiscal Service’s financial and program integrity services and establishes a permanent Inspector General for Fraud, Accountability, and Recovery to provide sustained oversight during future national emergencies and maintain the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s (PRAC) anti-fraud data analytics tools.
"Today, I am proud to announce that my bill, the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act passed out of the House. Since 2003, the federal government has lost $3 trillion to potential fraud and improper payments. We need real solutions to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected and reach the citizens who need them most," said Rep. Sessions. "The Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act is the first salvo of Congress’s defense against fraudsters who seek to steal the federal benefits of the most vulnerable of American citizens.I look forward to the Senate taking up this important piece of legislation and further strengthening Congress’s control of taxpayer dollars.”
What Members Said:
Rep. Jeff Crank celebrated that House Republicans are focusing on holding criminals who steal money from hardworking Americans accountable.
Rep. Ronny Jackson applauded how H.R. 8312 closes loopholes fraudsters were able to exploit, saving American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars.
Preventing Fraud Through Commonsense Reforms ✅
Fraudsters are stealing billions of taxpayer dollars from federal programs every year. For FY 2025 alone, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that $186 billion of taxpayer dollars were improperly paid through fraudulent actions, and the rate only continues to rise.
In states like Democrat-run Minnesota, weak oversight of state-administered federal programs has allowed fraudsters to steal billions of taxpayer dollars intended to help Americans in need. In Minnesota alone, social services programs have been linked to an estimated $9 billion in fraudulent payments. Despite the availability of tools and resources to prevent improper payments, there is currently no government-wide requirement for federal agencies and state-administered programs to conduct anti-fraud verification before taxpayer dollars are distributed.
This week, House Republicans advanced legislation to ensure government agencies address fraud risks before taxpayer dollars go out the door. The bill allows agencies to pause, segment, or cancel payments flagged as potentially fraudulent before they are distributed, providing time for corrective action and helping stop fraud before taxpayer dollars are lost.
Chairman James Comer’s measure, H.R. 8464, the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act, strengthens the federal payment system by building on oversight of state-administered programs, preventing federal agencies from making payments when an agency has deemed a program to be at an elevated risk for fraud or improper payments, and gives the U.S. Treasury new authority to return payment requests to agencies if they appear to be at risk for fraud.
"American taxpayers are rightfully outraged when their hard-earned money is stolen by criminals while the federal and state agencies responsible for preventing fraud look the other way. The House Oversight Committee has exposed widespread fraud in state-administered federal programs, including the theft of $9 billion from Minnesota’s social services programs,” said Chairman Comer. “This week, the House of Representatives took action to stop fraud by preventing fraudulent or improper payments before they go out the door and ensuring taxpayer-funded programs operate as intended. Working alongside the Trump Administration, the Oversight Committee will continue to crack down on fraud, protect taxpayer dollars, and hold bad actors accountable.”
What Members Said:
Rep. John McGuire highlighted how the bill can stop fraud before it even occurs by providing more oversight and a more robust verification process.
Standing Up Against Bad Actors Committed to Defrauding the United States ✅
Taxpayers expect their hard-earned dollars to be spent responsibly. But since 2003, the federal government has made an estimated $3 trillion of improper payments, including payments lost to waste, fraud, and abuse. Every dollar improperly spent is a dollar taken away from working families.
Billions of taxpayer dollars are lost to fraud every year because of weak oversight and preventable errors. One of the biggest drivers is a practice known as “pay and chase,” where federally funded programs send out payments before verifying whether recipients are eligible or even legitimate. It is a reckless system that invites fraud, wastes taxpayer dollars, and leaves agencies scrambling to recover money after it is already gone.
House Republicans continue to advance commonsense measures to combat fraud, protect taxpayer dollars, and strengthen fiscal responsibility. This week, House Republicans condemned those who defraud taxpayers and supported reforms that prevent fraud before it occurs, including stronger up-front eligibility verification before federal payments are issued.
H. Res. 1335, sponsored by Rep. Pat Fallon, denounces the individuals who abuse and defraud taxpayer dollars and government entities and pledges that reforms which address fraud prevention will meaningfully improve the financial prosperity of the United States, most notably through up-front verification for eligibility before payments are issued.
“For years, Democrats at all levels of government have turned a blind eye to the rampant fraud in government programs,” said Rep. Fallon. “This isn’t always an accident, and it’s often intentional. Federal programs are in dire need of reform to confirm beneficiaries’ eligibility and halt the flow of hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars each year to criminal fraudsters. My colleagues and I on the House Oversight Committee have a duty to hold the folks stealing from the hardworking American taxpayer accountable. We will not relent.”
What Members Said:
Rep. Brad Knott underscored how nearly all House Democrats sided with fraudsters over the American taxpayer.
Rep. Diana Harshbarger emphasized how appalling it is that Democrats would vote to appease fraudsters.
