Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the words ``unprecedented'' many, many times. Today we stand at an unprecedented crime scene.

During the course of the pandemic, the American taxpayers were subjected to one of the greatest heists ever committed, to the tune of about $191 billion in improper unemployment payments.

My colleague across the aisle said: Yeah, they received the money accidentally. Well, if I walk up across the street and find a $20 bill accidentally dropped by someone else, do I not owe that money back to them? Is it mine to keep? No, it is not. It is to be given back. This is what was done from payments to the American taxpayers who did not deserve the money.

Of course, the spending spree by the Biden administration wants to continue by adding ballooning debt to our national deficit.

Today, House Republicans are presenting a solution to this unprecedented problem. We are not raising taxes or spending our grandchildren's money. We are merely asking for money back that was not owed to those people.

It is simple. Why not reclaim the billions of dollars in improper payments before spending another cent of taxpayer money? Even schoolchildren would understand what is at issue.

It is past time to rectify this disaster and hold those accountable who got money that they did not deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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