Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1156, the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act, introduced by our chairman, Jason Smith. It is clearer by the day that the COVID pandemic gave rise to widespread financial fraud. A prime example of that is the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims that were filed, which totaled between $100 billion and $150 billion, most of which happened as a result of organized crime. Incredibly, to date, less than 4 percent of these stolen funds have been recovered. If we do nothing before March 27, the statute of limitations to bring these criminal cases against these fraudsters will come to an end, and the rest of these taxpayer funds will be lost forever. We cannot allow this to happen, and we must make best efforts to recover these stolen funds. Mr. Speaker, make no mistake, the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act is supported by both red and blue States across the country. The National Association of State Workforce Agencies, a nonpartisan association representing all States, endorsed extending the statute of limitations so that criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions could continue uninterrupted. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, dated February 11, 2025, supporting passage of H.R. 1156. National Association of State Workforce Agencies, Washington DC, February 11, 2025. Re Support for H.R. 1156. Hon.…”