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CIVIC HERALD
HR 1156 · 119th Congress · HouseOther

Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act

In plain language: This bill extends the deadline to 10 years for the federal government to bring criminal charges or civil lawsuits against people suspected of stealing or improperly receiving COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefits. The extended time limit applies to offenses like identity theft, wire fraud, and false claims, as long as the original deadline to prosecute has not already expired before the bill takes effect. To offset costs, the legislation cancels $5 million in unspent federal funding previously set aside for pandemic unemployment programs.

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—Not determinable from the text provided; the number of individuals subject to investigation or prosecution under the extended statute of limitations is not specified.
Fiscal magnitude-$5.0Mprovisional · pending reviewSec. 3 explicitly rescinds $5,000,000 in unobligated balances previously made available under the CARES Act / American Rescue Plan Act.
Reach28provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Spending vs. restraint−10Sentencing & corrections−25Ethics & oversight+30

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Who it helps

  • Federal prosecutors and enforcement agenciesGains an extended 10-year window (statute of limitations) to bring criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions for fraud, theft, and false claims involving pandemic unemployment compensation programs (Sec. 2).provisional

Who it burdens

  • Individuals investigated or prosecuted for pandemic unemployment fraudFaces an extended 10-year window of legal liability and potential criminal or civil prosecution for alleged fraud, false claims, or identity theft involving pandemic unemployment benefits, provided their statute of limitations has not already expired (Sec. 2).provisional
  • Federal pandemic unemployment fraud prevention programsLoses $5,000,000 in unobligated funding previously allocated for fraud prevention and unemployment system administration through a budget rescission (Sec. 3).provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

  1. Extends the time limit to 10 years for the federal government to bring criminal charges or civil lawsuits for fraud, identity theft, or conspiracy involving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims, provided the previous deadline has not already passed.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  2. Extends the time limit to 10 years for the federal government to bring criminal charges or civil lawsuits for fraud, identity theft, or conspiracy involving Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation or Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation claims, provided the previous deadline has not already passed.

    Sec. 2(b)provisional

  3. Extends the time limit to 10 years for the federal government to bring criminal charges or civil lawsuits for fraud, identity theft, or conspiracy involving Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation claims, provided the previous deadline has not already passed.

    Sec. 2(c)provisional

  4. Cancels $5,000,000 in unused federal funding previously allocated to support pandemic unemployment fraud prevention and system administration.

    Sec. 3provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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Timeline

How it moved.

  1. Mar 13, 2025Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 29.
  2. Mar 11, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Mar 11, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 295 - 127 (Roll no. 68). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H1093-1094)
  4. Mar 11, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 295 - 127 (Roll no. 68). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H1093-1094)
  5. Mar 11, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 211 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 25, H.R. 1156 and H.R. 1968. The resolution provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 25, H.R. 1156, and H.R. 1968 under a closed rule. Also, the resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each measure.
  6. Feb 25, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-6.
  7. Feb 25, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-6.
  8. Feb 12, 2025Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 18.
  9. Feb 10, 2025Introduced in House
  10. Feb 10, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

Read it for yourself.

Read the original text →

Sources & provenance

Congress.govrefreshed 17 days ago

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