WASHINGTON—This week, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of several bills to protect taxpayer dollars and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government.

“Uncovering and cracking down on the billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government is one of Idahoans’ top priorities,” said Rep. Simpson. “America faces an existential threat with nearly $40 trillion in debt. Passing critical legislation to eliminate waste and corruption is a step in the right direction to protect taxpayer dollars.”

The legislation passed this week includes:

• H.R. 8312 – Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act. This legislation makes pandemic anti-fraud tools permanent by preserving the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s (PRAC) data analytics, investigative resources, and fraud detection capabilities instead of allowing them to expire.
• H.R. 8464 – Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act. This legislation ends “pay and chase” and requires agencies to identify and address fraud risks before taxpayer dollars are disbursed.
• H.Res. 1335 – Condemning actors seeking to defraud the United States Government.
• H.R. 7892 – No Aid for Ghost Students Act. This legislation stops student aid fraud by requiring the Department of Education to use an identity fraud detection system to review FAFSA applications for suspicious activity.