Chuck Grassley: “today I want to speak about an important issue for the taxpayers of this country. The government's strongest and most…”

“today I want to speak about an important issue for the taxpayers of this country. The government's strongest and most effective tool against fraud is called the False Claims Act. In recent years, the False Claims Act has been under attack from industries targeted by the government's anti-fraud efforts. Since 1986, when Congress passed amendments that I sponsored to toughen the law than $4 billion has been recovered through the False Claims Act. Hundreds of billions more in fraud have been saved through the deterrent effect that this law has upon those who would betray the public's interest. In addition to the recovery of money and the deterrent effect of this law, the False Claims Act is important for another, perhaps, more important reason. The fact is that the False Claims Act is being used, day after day, by prosecutors to maintain the integrity of countless federal programs funded by American taxpayers. For example, the False Claims Act is being used in the health care industry to ensure that nursing home residents receive quality care. Included in the anti-fraud arsenal of the False Claims Act is a provision called qui tam. Qui tam is a concept that dates back to feudal times. It allows private citizens who know of fraud against the taxpayers to bring a lawsuit against the perpetrators. In other words, the citizen acts as a partner with the government. As an incentive, the citizen shares in any monetary recovery to the U.S. Treasury.”