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ADVISORY: GOP Meeting: $80 Billion (and Counting) in Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Part II

February 17, 2022

Ways and Means Republican Leader Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) announced today that Republican Leader for the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) will hold a roundtable titled “$80 Billion (and Counting) in Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Part II” on Tuesday, February 22nd from 12 pm to 1 pm EDT.

 

This meeting will feature a discussion with experts tasked with investigating the estimated $80 billion in lost funds to improper payments – 19 percent of total payments – and efforts to prosecute criminals and to recover stolen funds. 

 

Guests include Seto J. Badoyan, Director of Audit Services at the Government Accountability Office, Tye Gillins of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, and members of the U.S. Secret Service. 

 

Part I: Unchecked Unemployment Insurance: Taxpayers Are on the Hook for $60 Billion (and Counting) in Fraud

 

Key Messages:

  • Faced with unchecked unemployment fraud involving organized cybercrime and international crime rings, Democrats have ignored repeated calls for congressional oversight hearings.
  • Now, the Biden Administration has taken unilateral action to sweep suspected fraud under the rug, allowing states to waive large numbers of suspicious claims and forgo recovery and restitution for taxpayers.
  • Democrats’ dysfunctional IRS is unprepared to help those Americans who may only have just learned they were fraud victims.

 

This meeting will take place remotely via Cisco WebEx video conferencing.

Members of the public may view the meeting via live webcast available on the Ways and Means Committee Republicans YouTube page HERE.