Leadership Steve Scalise RSS Articles

Scalise: Republicans Deliver Results Democrats Play Politics with National Security

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on The Scott Jennings Show and NewsNation's Katie Pavlich Tonight to discuss how House Republicans are delivering results for the American people by lowering costs, strengthening national security, and advancing President Trump's agenda. Leader Scalise also highlighted the importance of renewing FISA authorities to prevent terrorist attacks and keep Americans safe.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full interview with Scott Jennings.

Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview with Scott Jennings:

On President Trump disarming Iran's nuclear capabilities:

“I was with the president two days ago in the Oval Office, and we were talking about Iran amongst a number of other issues. And, you know, look, the president wants to get this resolved. He's talked about trying to get a peace agreement, but he also is aware, as we all know, that you're dealing with people that are not rational. You're dealing with people that are not honest in the Iranian leaders. And so this thing's gone on over, over and over, back and forth. You've heard we're close to deals, and then they struck down a helicopter and the president took some action. He was going to take more. And I think the Iranian leaders realize this is going to get worse for them if they keep playing this game. You do not want to test President Donald Trump. And so hopefully this means we're getting closer to a resolution. We will surely see. But if the Iranian leaders had some sense, they would get an agreement to stop a pursuit of a nuclear weapon and to end fueling terror around the world.

“That's been objective number one. You know, you look at Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Epic Fury, we've decimated a lot of their nuclear capabilities. There is still enriched uranium out there. That's been a concern... I don't think you have any of those neighbors that want to see Iran with a nuclear weapon, especially when they chant 'Death to America.' You know, it seems like we're target number one. So the President's taking action to keep America safe. I hope this comes to a conclusion.”

On Democrats jeopardizing Americans’ safety by stonewalling FISA:

“Well, it's really unfortunate where we are, and I think it shows you how dangerous and radical the Democrat Party is that 95% of their members today voted against America's national security. Think about that, Scott. Just because they hate Donald Trump, they are willing to put American lives at risk. This is a program, FISA, which everybody acknowledges has been used time and again to stop terrorist attacks on our homeland, to stop those attacks. And yet they're willing to shut that program down, just like you saw them shut the entire Department of Homeland Security down months ago. This is a radical Democrat Party, sure, not your father's Democrat Party. So, you know, we're gonna keep working. We have a bill over in the Senate that would renew the program, but Democrats in the Senate are blocking that to this day. At some point, I hope the American people speak out. If you're represented by a Democrat senator, please call them and say, stop putting our lives at risk. Get over your differences with Donald Trump. And you can still have those other differences, but don't risk American safety by shutting this program down.”

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full interview with Katie Pavlich.

Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview with Katie Pavlich:

On the impact and meaning of the Congressional Baseball Game:

“Well, it's always special just to, you know, the camaraderie, being able to play in a big league ballpark. This place is gonna be packed with raucous fans on both sides, more on our side, I think. But it's also, look, we love competing, we want to beat these guys, but we're raising over $3 million for local youth charities too, and that's special.”

On the Republican agenda:

“We secured our border working with President Trump. It was critical, frankly, the biggest issue in the '24 election. And now we've got other problems where we want to keep working on reducing crime, producing more energy, getting, you know, keeping taxes low, getting rules and regulations to make common sense so that we can create more jobs. So a lot of things that we're still working on.”

On prioritizing affordability and cutting red tape:

“I'd much rather be where we are than where the Democrats are, frankly, because we're going to keep working on lowering costs, on getting the country back on track, on securing the border. We've got a great housing bill that we passed. Frankly, almost all Republicans and Democrats in the House passed that bill over the Senate. I hope the Senate gets that bill done because we've been working with President Trump on things like that. He wants to sign that bill that will lower housing costs and clean up a lot of the red tape. It's hard to build housing in America because of a lot of the red tape. Let's clean that up. Let's make it easier to create jobs and grow opportunities for people in this country. We're going to be focused on that between now and November."

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Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of June 8, 2026

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:

Agriculture

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Agriculture held a full committee hearing called "Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA." As the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) approaches its scheduled review, the Committee heard testimony from representatives of key agricultural sectors, including dairy, specialty crops, beef, and soybeans, on the agreement’s impact since its implementation in 2020. Witnesses highlighted the importance of the U.S. agricultural trade relationship with Canada and Mexico, which together purchase more than $60 billion in U.S. agricultural products annually and account for roughly one-third of all American agricultural exports.

Appropriations

On Tuesday, June 9, the Committee on Appropriations approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill during full committee markup. Led by Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt, the measure supports biomedical research, strengthens public health preparedness, advances workforce development, and promotes educational opportunity while ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Appropriations approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Homeland Security Bill during full committee markup. Led by Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei, the legislation strengthens border security, supports immigration enforcement, enhances counter-drug efforts, and provides resources for law enforcement and disaster response missions.

On Thursday, June 11, the Defense Subcommittee advanced the Fiscal Year 2027 Defense Bill after a closed subcommittee markup. Led by Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert, the measure invests in troop readiness, modernization, deterrence, and support for servicemembers and their families while reinforcing America's military superiority. The legislation will now move to consideration by the full committee.

Education & Workforce

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing called "On Call for America: Strengthening Access Through Locum Tenens Providers." Locum tenens health care providers—temporary doctors and clinicians who often work as independent contractors—help fill staffing gaps and keep care available when doctors are on leave, retire, or positions go unfilled. Witnesses stressed that flexible work arrangements make it easier for clinicians to serve communities that need them most. For patients, that means shorter waits, better access to doctors and specialists, and more reliable care—especially in rural areas where providers can be hard to find.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Education & Workforce held a full committee hearing called "Breaking Trust: Attacks on Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content, and Legal Abuses in America’s Schools." Members pressed officials from Chicago, San Francisco, and Loudoun County schools on policies involving gender ideology, parental rights, religious liberty, and radical activism in schools. The hearing highlighted concerns that many districts are prioritizing divisive social agendas over academic achievement, even as national test scores show students continuing to fall behind. Schools exist to educate children—not push political ideologies. Parents, students, and taxpayers deserve schools that stay focused on learning and helping every child succeed.

Energy & Commerce

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing called "Nuclear Permitting Reform: Legislation to Advance Efficient Licensing." Bringing nuclear power online isn’t difficult because of our capabilities – it’s because of burdensome red tape. This hearing focused on a set of bills that would cut harmful regulations and unleash reliable and safe nuclear energy.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: Examining Policies to Increase Health Care Transparency." A more affordable health care system starts with transparency. The Health subcommittee examined various legislation to advance the Great Healthcare Plan and give patients clearer information about the cost of care, increase accountability, and help Americans make better informed health care decisions.

Financial Services

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing called "Converging Criminal Enterprises: Chinese Money Laundering Networks and Cartel Financing in the U.S. Financial System." The subcommittee, Chaired by Rep. Dan Meuser (PA-09), examined the growing partnership between Chinese money laundering networks (CMLNs) and drug cartels and the threat they pose to the U.S. financial system.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing called "Examining Local Needs in Disaster Recovery." The subcommittee, Chaired by Rep. Mike Flood (NE-01), examined the effectiveness of HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program and explored opportunities to improve federal disaster recovery assistance.

On Friday, June 12, the Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity held a field hearing called "Examining the Structure of the Federal Reserve System." The task force, led by Task Force Chairman Frank Lucas (OK-03), examined the structure of the Federal Reserve System and the role its regional framework plays in informing monetary policy.

Foreign Affairs

On Tuesday, June 9, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee markup on the following bills:

H.R. 9086, To amend the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to modify and improve that Act (Lawler)
H.R. 9062, To increase the capacity and effectiveness of the Department in supporting American businesses operating overseas and protecting American industries from adversaries, and for other purposes (Kim)
H.R. 1939, To require the imposition of sanctions with respect to conflict in Sudan, and for other purposes (Meeks)
H.R. 9087, To direct the Secretary of State to take actions with respect to certain foreign affairs matters (Mast)

House Administration

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on House Administration held a full committee hearing called “Preventing Fraudulent Donations: Transparency, Verification, and Accountability.”

Judiciary

On Tuesday, June 9, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing called "The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate, Part II" to examine the role that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has played in distorting civil rights policy in recent years. Additionally, the hearing explored recently released information revealing that the SPLC has funneled money to some extremists, raising questions whether the SPLC has been artificially elevating the domestic extremist threat and misleading its donors.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust held a hearing called "Examining the Sports Broadcasting Act" discussed the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) of 1961 and its effect on the modern broadcast market for major sports leagues, particularly looking at the ways in which the distribution of professional sports has evolved since the SBA was first enacted 65 years ago. It will also examine the extent to which the antitrust exemption created by the SBA has been used by the professional sports leagues to harm consumers and whether potential legislative remedies may be needed to address that harm.

Natural Resources

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs held a legislative hearing on the following measures:

H.R. 6917, To take certain land into trust for the benefit of the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians (Titus)
H.R. 8473, the Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act (Begich)
H.R. 8954, the Tribal Regulatory Reform Implementation Act of 2026 (Hurd)

The hearing examined legislation to improve public health and public safety in Indian Country through expanded veterinary services and zoonotic disease prevention efforts, while strengthening tribal economic development by improving regulatory reform implementation and reducing barriers to investment in tribal communities.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup on the following measures:

H.R. 3276, the Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025 (Dingell)
H.R. 3925, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act (Obernolte)
H.R. 7882, To provide for the leasing of certain deposits of minerals located within the City of Carlsbad, New Mexico (Stauber)
H.R. 8686, To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona (Gosar)

The Committee advanced legislation to improve land management and tribal stewardship, unlock domestic energy production in New Mexico and strengthen military readiness by expanding testing capabilities at the Yuma Proving Ground.

On Friday, June 12, the Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee field hearing on the "Great American Outdoors Act 250." The hearing examined legislation to make historic investments in and modernize our national parks, public lands, and Bureau of Indian Education facilities, revitalize the economies of rural gateway communities that depend on public lands tourism, and create new recreation opportunities for American families to enjoy. Committee Members heard testimony in support of the Great American Outdoors Act 250 from actor and director Kevin Costner, Arkansas community leaders and Trump administration officials.

Oversight and Government Reform

On Tuesday, June 9, the Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses held a hearing called "Amnesty and Chaos: Abuse of U.S. Immigration Policy." During the hearing, members examined how prior presidential administrations and the amnesty lobby have weaponized the U.S. immigration system against Americans, pushed reckless open borders policies and engaged in frivolous litigation to stall enforcement of the law. Members also analyzed current tactics the radical left uses to undermine the Trump Administration’s efforts to strengthen the immigration system and keep Americans safe.

Rules

On Monday, June 8, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:

S. 2, the Secure America Act (Sen. Graham)
H.R. 8312, the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act (Sessions)
H.R. 8464, the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act (Comer)
H. Res. 1335, Condemning actors seeking to defraud the United States Government, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that governmentwide fraud and improper payment prevention reforms will meaningfully improve the financial prosperity of the United States, and that Federal program eligibility should be verified before payment (Fallon)

This week the Rules Committee considered measures designed to fund border security and root out fraud. Rules Republicans discussed the need to support ICE and CBP after Democrat obstruction. Members detailed the extent of sophisticated fraud schemes around the country and the importance of protecting American tax dollars.

Science, Space, and Technology

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will hold a full committee hearing called "An Overview of the Department of Energy’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request." The purpose of this hearing was to examine the Department of Energy’s (DOE) fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget request to Congress and examine the changing priorities this proposed budget would have on civilian research, DOE infrastructure, and the various other programs at the Department.

Select Committee on China

On Monday, Chairman John Moolenaar supported the Trump Administration’s decision to update the list of known Chinese military companies on the Department of War’s 1260H List. The additions include numerous Chinese companies Moolenaar and other congressional leaders requested be added to the list in December (2025). The updated list includes Alibaba, Baidu, BOE, RoboSense, Tianma, Unitree, and Wuxi Apptec.

On Tuesday, June 9, Moolenaar and Ranking Member Ro Khanna introduced bipartisan legislation that would create tax credits to support American magnet production and a domestic magnet supply chain. The Magnets Value Chain Support Act of 2026 would help reshore the magnet supply chain, from rare earth oxide production all the way through to magnet manufacturing and into the motors and defense systems that depend on magnets. This would reduce America's dangerous dependence on China for components essential to economic and national security.

Transportation & Infrastructure

On Tuesday, June 9, the Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee conducted a roundtable called “Shedding Wasted Space: Roundtable on Effective Implementation of Public Buildings Reforms.” Members discussed with federal officials and private sector real estate experts the ongoing implementation of public buildings reforms enacted in 2024, the challenges agencies are facing in efforts to reduce and consolidate their owned and leased space and get rid of unneeded property, and potential solutions to those challenges. At the roundtable, Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry noted, “The public buildings reforms in WRDA 2024, including the USE IT Act, require agencies to meet at least a 60 percent building utilization rate for the first time. Congress has spoken: agencies must let go of space if they fail to meet that threshold. The last thing we want are excuses, so finding solutions to any hurdles is critical.”

Veterans' Affairs

On Friday, June 12, the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization will hold an oversight field hearing called “Delivering Quality and Modern Healthcare to Michigan's Veterans and Servicemembers.” Chairman Tom Barrett (MI-07) led an oversight hearing examining the Department of Veterans Affairs’ implementation of the External Provider Scheduling platform and its plan for piloting its Integrated Scheduling solution and how it will impact veterans seeking care in the community. Members from both parties raised concerns that the platform’s effectiveness heavily relies on provider participation and utilization by VA schedulers. Witnesses from VA and GAO testified on progress and next steps in ensuring the platform was being utilized effectively for community care. The subcommittee also heard from local witnesses which included a rural hospital, county veteran service officer, and rural health expert, which touched on how this technology implementation would benefit veterans living in rural communities by increasing opportunities for them to seek care closer to their homes.

Ways and Means

On Tuesday, June 9, the Committee on Ways and Means will hold a full committee legislative hearing on Digital Asset Taxation. Expert witnesses urged the Committee to establish clear, modern tax rules for America to remain the “crypto capital of the world.” The eight bills and discussion drafts considered at the hearing address digital asset taxation challenges: clarity of tax treatment for digital asset transactions like mining and staking, parity between digital assets and traditional financial instruments, and administrability of the tax code and reporting requirements for America’s over 50 million digital asset owners. The lack of clear tax rules for common digital asset transactions, like mining and staking, damages U.S. competitiveness and pushes mining and staking activities to foreign countries. Widespread ownership, the explosive growth in the market, and establishment of tax frameworks in other countries means Congress must provide tax certainty for digital assets to maintain American leadership of this technology.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on Social Security and the Subcommittee on Work & Welfare will hold a joint hearing with the Commissioner of Social Security, Frank J. Bisignano. Members of the two subcommittees received an update on the dramatic improvements in customer service for Social Security beneficiaries under the leadership of Commissioner Bisignano. Since fiscal year 2024, wait times on the national 800 number have shrunk from 42 to 7 minutes and wait times at field offices fell 30 percent during the same time period. The Social Security Administration provided retroactive benefits to teachers, firefighters, and other retired public servants months ahead of schedule in the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act. During the hearing, Republicans reiterated their commitment to protect and preserve the Social Security program for all Americans.

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The Leader's Floor Lookout: Thursday, June 11, 2026

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor today:

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. Today, the House will consider legislation condemning those who defraud taxpayers and supporting 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.

House Republicans are committed to advancing commonsense fraud measures and preventing fraud before it occurs.

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The Republican Recap: Week of June 8, 2026

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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 James made 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 u nderscored 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.

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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor today:

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 is unacceptable. To combat this preventable problem, House Republicans are bringing forward H.R. 8312 today, 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.

By prioritizing fraud prevention, House Republicans are working to ensure that no more taxpayer dollars are exploited by fraudsters during a time of crisis.

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) estimates $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.

Today, House Republicans are advancing 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.

House Republicans are working tirelessly to ensure agencies shift their focus from fraud recovery to fraud prevention in order to responsibly handle taxpayer dollars.

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 are advancing 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.

House Republicans will preserve student aid for hardworking and deserving students who have earned it, while carefully protecting federal funds.

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The Leader's Floor Lookout: Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor today:

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 are bringing the Secure America Act to the floor. 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 funding required to keep Americans safe.

House Republicans will continue to stand by our courageous law enforcement officers who work relentlessly to secure our border and protect American families.

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Scalise: Taxpayer Money is For Americans Who Need It, Not For Criminal Organizations

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) to discuss House Republican efforts to crack down on fraud and ensure taxpayer dollars reach the Americans they were intended to help—not criminals exploiting the system. Leader Scalise also highlighted House Republican efforts to strengthen national security by funding border security and renewing critical counterterrorism tools.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full remarks.

Highlights from Leader Scalise's remarks:

On rooting out fraud and protecting vulnerable Americans:

“We're bringing a number of additional bills this week to combat fraud, and it's something that we've been seeing, we've been exposing, we've been bringing more tools forward so that we can root out fraud to protect taxpayers. And it's not just taxpayers who suffer, it's a lot of these programs that were intended to help mostly low-income people, kids with disabilities. If you think about some of the Minnesota fraud that's going on in the, the 'learing centers' that you all now know about. That money was intended for students, for children, in some cases children with autism, where that money was stolen by fraudsters. And the government, Tim Walz, Keith Ellison, looked the other way – they knew what was going on, whistleblowers have been telling us that, and they looked the other way – and let the fraud continue. And let the theft of that money continue.

“Again, it's not just billions, tens of billions of dollars stolen from taxpayers. It's money that's not going to people who need it, people with disabilities, senior citizens. Dr. Oz has talked about some of the fraud that he's seen in programs like hospice, where criminal organizations, not just individuals, in some cases foreign countries operating with criminal entities and enterprises are setting up shops to steal tens of billions of dollars, in some cases taking programs away from people, healthcare programs away, and forcing people into things that they don't need, taking away benefits they paid into their whole life. And those dollars are gone, and we're now working to root it out.

“You would think this would be an initiative that everybody in Congress would work on together. I wish it was. Sadly, you saw the vote last week. We brought a bill forward to root out fraud in childcare centers. So it's not just suspected fraud, but if somebody's actually convicted of stealing money from childcare programs, we bet a bill that says you can't participate anymore if you've already stolen money from taxpayers. And do you know that 98% of Democrats on the House floor last week voted against that bill? 98% of Democrats voted to protect the fraudsters who were stealing money from childcare programs. That's who Democrats are protecting. They're protecting criminals who are stealing money from children. It's that basic. So we're going to continue to bring more bills to protect the taxpayers of this country, to root out the fraud that we're seeing.”

On protecting national security:

“We're also, of course, bringing a bill later today on reconciliation 2.0 to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. The final piece, as you know, is to fund ICE and Border Protection. This is a piece that Democrats have said they don't want to fund because they want open borders. They have made it crystal clear, the Democrat Party in Washington, that they want to go back to open borders, and we're not going to do that. We need to fully fund this department, especially at a time of heightened security threats.

“We also need to make sure that we renew FISA. One of the reasons that the Speaker's not here right now is he's over at the White House working with the President to finalize this agreement on FISA. You have the bill over in the Senate. We, of course, passed a bill to have a long-term renewal of FISA. The bill is over in the Senate. They're having negotiations right now, and hopefully they get it resolved. We stand ready to move that bill as soon as it's resolved in the Senate. But, you know, hopefully that happens today, tomorrow. But it's important that that program does not go dark on Friday when it expires, because just understand, FISA has been used time and time again to stop terrorist attacks here on our homeland, on American soil, to prevent terrorist attacks. And that's a critical, critical tool that we need to renew.”

On how anti-business policies drive away jobs and investment:

“I will point out a Truth Social post that [Rep.] Marlin Stutzman put out over the weekend chronicling— a lot of you may be familiar— the Chicago Bears are looking at moving right now to Indiana. Yes, the Chicago Bears playing in Indiana. And you would ask why. He literally lays out in brutal detail how Democrats at all levels in Chicago and the state of Illinois literally ran the Chicago Bears out of Chicago and out of the state of Illinois. And I think it's just important to point out, when you look at what's coming up and what's the difference between the two parties, how one party, literally after 100 years of the Chicago Bears playing football in Chicago, they're going to ultimately end up playing in Indiana. And they didn't want to. They wanted to stay. But now a, you know, multi-billion dollar program with jobs, with tax revenue, all of that is going to leave the state of Illinois because they ran it out of the state through very specific actions that Marlin Stutzman chronicled.”

On raising money for charity with the Congressional Baseball Game:

“With that, finally, hopefully I see a lot of you out tomorrow night at the baseball game. Republicans will be playing the Democrats in a spirited competition. It is officially now a sellout. 38,000 tickets have been sold. Which is pretty impressive when you think about it, and over $3 million for local charities raised already in the bank. And that's something we're very proud of. It helps a lot of youth programs here in the District of Columbia, and it's something that Republicans and Democrats come together to do. We want to beat the Democrats. We beat them last year, 13 to 2. We want to beat them again. But we also come together to raise money for a really good cause. Hope to see all of you there.”

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Scalise: Democrats Once Again Side with Open Borders Over Public Safety

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Angel Families to celebrate the passage of the Secure America Act. Leader Scalise highlighted the fact that every House Democrat voted against funding the ICE agents, Border Patrol agents, and law enforcement officers who secure America's border and keep communities safe.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full remarks.

Leader Scalise's remarks:

“Today, Democrats proved once again with their voices and with their votes that they want open borders and that they are willing to vote to defund the police. We've seen time and time again, whether it was the defund the police movement years ago in local communities and now here at the federal level, when we had to fight for months during a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security to properly fund the agency, and especially the law enforcement officers who risk their lives to keep our communities safe and enforce our immigration laws, keeping violent criminals out of our communities.

“When I spoke on the House floor earlier today for the bill, I mentioned, sadly, the many, many victims who have been murdered by people who came here illegally that our Border Patrol agents are trying to stop from coming into our country and trying to find and get out of our country so they can't kill more Americans. And yet every Democrat voted no because they want to defund those very law enforcement officers. It's disgraceful, but it's telling to the American people who want safe communities and deserve safe streets.

“We've worked closely with this president to provide safety in communities to the point where now we have the lowest murder rate in over 100 years. And yet there's still violent criminals out there. There's still terrorists who are trying to commit attacks here on our homeland. That's why we need a fully funded Department of Homeland Security. And Democrats time and time again voted to shut the entire agency down, leading to TSA lines. Let's not forget that. Leading to turmoil for millions of American families. And they don't care. They don't care about those families because all they want to do is continue to fight up here anything President Trump does, including trying to secure the border.

“If President Trump says he's going to secure the border, then they deem that something they will fight against, and they want an open border. Well, that's not where America is. I know we've got families up here who have truly felt the impact of this violence of some of these horrible people that have come into our country and committed some of the most violent crimes. We keep them all in our prayers. We continue to not only pray for them but work and vote to ensure that our Department of Homeland Security has the tools to keep our country safe so this never happens again.”

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Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Preview – Week of June 8, 2026

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s what to watch for from House Republican committees during the week:

Agriculture

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Agriculture will hold a full committee hearing called "Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA."

Appropriations

On Tuesday, June 9, the Committee on Appropriations will hold a full committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill and the Fiscal Year 2027 Homeland Security Bill.

On Thursday, June 11, the Subcommittee on Defense will hold a closed markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 Defense Bill.

Education & Workforce

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections will hold a hearing called "On Call for America: Strengthening Access Through Locum Tenens Providers."

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Education & Workforce will hold a full committee hearing called "Breaking Trust: Attacks on Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content, and Legal Abuses in America’s Schools."

On Friday, June 12, the Committee on Education & Workforce will hold a full committee field hearing called "Calling the Fouls: Accountability and Transparency in NCAA Enforcement."

Energy & Commerce

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Energy will hold a hearing called "Nuclear Permitting Reform: Legislation to Advance Efficient Licensing."

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing called "Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: Examining Policies to Increase Health Care Transparency."

Financial Services

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing called "Converging Criminal Enterprises: Chinese Money Laundering Networks and Cartel Financing in the U.S. Financial System."

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance will hold a hearing called "Examining Local Needs in Disaster Recovery."

On Friday, June 12, the Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity will hold a field hearing called "Examining the Structure of the Federal Reserve System."

Foreign Affairs

On Tuesday, June 9, the Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold a full committee markup on the following bills:

H.R. 9086, To amend the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to modify and improve that Act (Lawler)
H.R. 9062, To increase the capacity and effectiveness of the Department in supporting American businesses operating overseas and protecting American industries from adversaries, and for other purposes (Kim)
H.R. 1939, To require the imposition of sanctions with respect to conflict in Sudan, and for other purposes (Meeks)
H.R. 9087, To direct the Secretary of State to take actions with respect to certain foreign affairs matters (Mast)

House Administration

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on House Administration will hold a full committee hearing called “Preventing Fraudulent Donations: Transparency, Verification, and Accountability.”

Judiciary

On Tuesday, June 9, the Judiciary Committee will hold a full committee hearing called "The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate, Part II."

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust will hold a hearing called "Examining the Sports Broadcasting Act."

Natural Resources

On Tuesday, June 9, the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following measures:

H.R. 6917, To take certain land into trust for the benefit of the Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians (Titus)
H.R. 8473, the Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act (Begich)
H.R. 8954, the Tribal Regulatory Reform Implementation Act of 2026 (Hurd)

On Wednesday, June 10, the Committee on Natural Resources will hold a full committee markup on the following measures:

H.R. 3276, the Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025 (Dingell)
H.R. 3925, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act (Obernolte)
H.R. 7882, To provide for the leasing of certain deposits of minerals located within the City of Carlsbad, New Mexico (Stauber)
H.R. 8686, To amend the Military Land Withdrawals Act of 2013 to withdraw and reserve certain public land in the vicinity of Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona (Gosar)

On Friday, June 12, the Committee on Natural Resources will hold a full committee field hearing on the "Great American Outdoors Act 250."

Oversight and Government Reform

On Tuesday, June 9, the Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses will hold a hearing called "Amnesty and Chaos: Abuse of U.S. Immigration Policy."

Rules

On Monday, June 8, the Committee on Rules will meet on the following measures:

H.R. 8312, the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act (Sessions)
H.R. 8464, the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act (Comer)
H. Res. 1335, Condemning actors seeking to defraud the United States Government, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that governmentwide fraud and improper payment prevention reforms will meaningfully improve the financial prosperity of the United States, and that Federal program eligibility should be verified before payment (Fallon)

Ways and Means

On Tuesday, June 9, the Committee on Ways and Means will hold a full committee legislative hearing on Digital Asset Taxation.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Subcommittee on Social Security and the Subcommittee on Work & Welfare will hold a joint hearing with the Commissioner of Social Security, Frank J. Bisignano.

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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Week of June 8, 2026

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor this week:

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 is unacceptable. To combat this preventable problem, House Republicans are bringing forward 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.

By prioritizing fraud prevention, House Republicans are working to ensure that no more taxpayer dollars are exploited by fraudsters during a time of crisis.

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) estimates $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 are advancing 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.

House Republicans are working tirelessly to ensure agencies shift their focus from fraud recovery to fraud prevention in order to responsibly handle taxpayer dollars.

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, the House will consider legislation condemning those who defraud taxpayers and supporting 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.

House Republicans are committed to advancing commonsense fraud measures and preventing fraud before it occurs.

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