House Passes Measures to Address COVID-19 Fraud, Biden IRS Rule

The Epoch Times Header

Both the bill and resolution now head to the Senate.

The House passed a bill on March 11 to extend the statute of limitations when it comes to prosecuting unemployment fraud stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vote tally was 295โ€“127. Eighty-three Democrats joined all 212 Republicans in voting for the measure.

The bill, introduced by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.), would allow for those who commit fraud under the CARES Act to be prosecuted within 10 years after the alleged offense.

The statute of limitations is currently five years.

โ€œFailure to extend this statute of limitations would mean that the thousands of criminals and international criminal organizations that perpetrated the greatest theft of American taxpayer dollars in history will never be brought to justice,โ€ said Smith in a Feb. 11 statement.

There was between $100 billion and $135 billion in unemployment benefits fraud during the pandemic, according to a September 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office.

One estimate puts this figure at $400 billion. Less than 4 percent, or $5 billion, of stolen COVID-19 relief funds have been recovered, according to the House Ways and Means Committee.

There are 1,648 investigations surrounding COVID-19 fraud that have not yet resulted in criminal charges, according to the committee.

โ€œGiven the volume of existing cases currently under investigation, there is no reason that Congress should not act to ensure law enforcement stays on this beat and goes after these criminals,โ€ said Smith.

โ€œTaking them off the streets will not only ensure justice is done but will also help prevent those same crime organizations from being free to defraud the American taxpayer once again.โ€

Additionally, the House passed on March 11 a resolution to repeal Biden-era regulations from the Internal Revenue Service.

The vote tally on the measure, introduced by Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio), was 292โ€“132 with one voting โ€œpresent.โ€ Seventy-six Democrats joined all 216 Republicans in voting for it.

Titled โ€œGross Proceeds Reporting by Brokers That Regularly Provide Services Effectuating Digital Asset Sales,โ€ the regulations were issued on Dec. 30, 2024, shortly before President Joe Biden left office, and took effect on Feb. 25, just over a month after President Donald Trump was sworn in.

Byย Jackson Richman

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

Trans-wormal

No worm ever said "I am anthropomorphizing, I am a butterfly" to a toad or flock of geese and expected acknowledgement and support.

In Greenlandโ€™s Icy Capital, Past Troubles Haunt Hopes for the Future

As geopolitical realities and ongoing economic growth raise the stakes, U.S. interest in Greenland and the dream of independence may change things in a big way.

How a Chinese Government Statistician Was Forced to Report Fake Data

Chinese local govt employee produced a non-authorized report on bees and was visited by police and threatened with being sent to a mental hospital.

โ€˜This One Time, at Groomer Campโ€™

All Camp Brave Trails programs focus on helping LGBTQ+ youth find what they need most to thrive: their people, their place, and their passion.

Why Recognizing a Palestinian State Now Undermines U.S. Interestsย 

A recent American Conservativeย article suggests President Trump recognize a Palestinian state, but this would undermine the interests of the United States.

News

Guatemalan Deportee Arrives in US After Judge Orders Trump Admin to Facilitate Return

โ€œAmericaโ€™s asylum system was never intended to be used as a de facto amnesty program or a catch-all, get-out-of-deportation-free card,โ€ McLaughlin said.

Trump-Musk Feud Escalates Over Spending Bill: 5 Things to Know

A public feud between Musk and Trump took a turn for the worse. Musk claimed president wouldnโ€™t have won without him and president suggested Muskโ€™s subsidies could be pulled.

Supreme Court Rules 9-0 Wisconsin Violated First Amendment by Denying Tax Exemption to Catholic Charity

Supreme Court ruled unanimously that WI violated the First Amendment by not granting Catholic charity an exemption from paying unemployment tax.

Appeals Court Rules San Diegoโ€™s Yoga Ban Is Unconstitutional

The city of San Diegoโ€™s ban on yoga classes in public parks and beaches was ruled unconstitutional by a federal appeals court.

Supreme Court Rejects Mexicoโ€™s Lawsuit Against Gun Companies

SCOTUS said gun companies should not face lawsuit in which Mexican govt was trying to hold them liable for cartel-related violence involving firearms from US.

FDA Not Recommending Newly Approved COVID-19 Vaccine: Official

FDA approved a new COVID-19 vaccine but is not recommending people receive it, the agencyโ€™s top vaccine officials said on June 4.

Self-Sufficiency Summits in Ohio Reflect Surging Interest in Homesteading

After an age of reliance on store-bought items, many Americans are returning to a self-sufficient lifestyle and growing and raising the food they consume.

Judge Requires Trump Admin to Provide Due Process for Deportees in El Salvador Prison

Boasberg ordered Trump admin to provide habeas relief for individuals it deported and are held in Salvadoran maximum security prison.
spot_img

Related Articles