Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

Bill: 118-hr-1163
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Jason [R-MO-8]
Introduced: 2023-02-24 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Debt collection
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee hiring
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Infectious and parasitic diseases
State and local government operations
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-24
text: 

Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

 
This bill addresses fraud and overpayments of pandemic unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, including by providing incentives for states to investigate and recover overpayments of these benefits.
 
Specifically, the bill allows states to retain 25% of any recovered fraudulent overpayments. These retained funds may be used for modernizing unemployment compensation systems and information technology, reimbursing administrative costs, hiring fraud investigators and prosecutors, and for other program integrity activities.
 
Additionally, the bill allows states to retain 5% of any overpayments of regular and extended UI benefits. A state must, in order to retain these overpayments, certify that it has met certain conditions for data matching.
 
Next, the bill extends from 3 to 10 years the time during which states can recover overpayments of pandemic UI benefits.
 
Further, the bill extends flexibilities for states to hire temporary staff on a noncompetitive basis to identify, pursue, and recover fraudulent overpayments.
 
The bill also extends from 5 to 10 years the statute of limitations for federal criminal charges or civil enforcement actions related to UI fraud.
 
Finally, the bill repeals a section of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (as amended by the American Rescue Plan of 2021) that provided funding for UI program integrity activities.

action_date: 2023-04-06
text: 

Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

 
This bill addresses fraud and overpayments of pandemic unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, including by providing incentives for states to investigate and recover overpayments of these benefits.
 
Specifically, the bill allows states to retain 25% of any recovered fraudulent overpayments. These retained funds may be used for modernizing unemployment compensation systems and information technology, reimbursing administrative costs, hiring fraud investigators and prosecutors, and for other program integrity activities.
 
Additionally, the bill allows states to retain 5% of any overpayments of regular and extended UI benefits. A state must, in order to retain these overpayments, certify that it has met certain conditions for data matching.
 
Next, the bill extends from 3 to 10 years the time during which states can recover overpayments of pandemic UI benefits.
 
Further, the bill extends flexibilities for states to hire temporary staff on a noncompetitive basis to identify, pursue, and recover fraudulent overpayments under federal pandemic unemployment compensation programs authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
 
The bill also extends from 5 to 10 years the statute of limitations for federal criminal charges or civil enforcement actions related to UI fraud.
 
Finally, the bill repeals a section of the CARES Act (as amended by the American Rescue Plan of 2021) that provided funding for UI program integrity activities.

action_date: 2023-05-11
text: 

Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

 
This bill addresses fraud and overpayments of pandemic unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, including by providing incentives for states to investigate and recover overpayments of these benefits.
 
Specifically, the bill allows states to retain 25% of any recovered fraudulent overpayments. These retained funds may be used for modernizing unemployment compensation systems and information technology, reimbursing administrative costs, hiring fraud investigators and prosecutors, and for other program integrity activities.
 
Additionally, the bill allows states to retain 5% of any overpayments of regular and extended UI benefits. A state must, in order to retain these overpayments, certify that it has met certain conditions for data matching.
 
Next, the bill extends from 3 to 10 years the time during which states can recover overpayments of pandemic UI benefits.
 
Further, the bill extends flexibilities for states to hire temporary staff on a noncompetitive basis to identify, pursue, and recover fraudulent overpayments under federal pandemic unemployment compensation programs authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
 
The bill also extends from 5 to 10 years the statute of limitations for federal criminal charges or civil enforcement actions related to UI fraud.
 
Finally, the bill repeals a section of the CARES Act (as amended by the American Rescue Plan of 2021) that provided funding for UI program integrity activities. Subject to appropriations, the unobligated balance of this funding shall be transferred to the Department of the Treasury and periodically credited to the appropriate state account in the Unemployment Trust Fund, as outlined by the bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 230 - 200 (Roll no. 211). (text: CR H2281-2283)
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 230 - 200 (Roll no. 211). (text: CR H2281-2283)
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 210 - 221 (Roll no. 210).
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2294-2295)
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - The Chair put the question on the motion to recommit the bill and by voice vote announced the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Sykes demanded the yeas and nays, and the Chair postoned further proceedings until a time to be announced.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Mrs. Sykes moved to recommit to the Committee on Ways and Means. (text: CR H2292)
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 1163.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2 and H.R. 1163. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 2 under a closed rule with five hours of general debate, and the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1163 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. The resolution provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
action_date: 2023-05-11
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 383. (consideration: CR H2281-2292)
action_date: 2023-05-10
text: Rule H. Res. 383 passed House.
action_date: 2023-05-10
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 383 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2 and H.R. 1163. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 2 under a closed rule with five hours of general debate, and the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1163 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate. The resolution provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
action_date: 2023-04-06
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 21.
action_date: 2023-04-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 118-34.
action_date: 2023-04-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 118-34.
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 17.
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2023-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2023-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-02-24
text: Introduced in House