Hoosier State Today

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship has advanced the Complete COVID Collections Act, a legislative measure introduced by U.S. Senators Todd Young of Indiana and Joni Ernst of Iowa. The bill aims to recover billions in taxpayer dollars lost to fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The legislation was prompted by warnings from the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR) about its expiring authority, which could allow over $200 billion in fraudulent claims to go unpunished.

Senator Young emphasized the misuse of relief programs intended for small businesses, stating, "Programs designed to provide relief to our small businesses were repeatedly taken advantage of, leaving small businesses hurting and taxpayers on the hook." He expressed satisfaction with the committee's decision and anticipated supporting the bill on the Senate floor.

Senator Ernst voiced her determination to hold fraudsters accountable: "I will not allow fraudsters to get away with stealing hundreds of billions of dollars from taxpayers." She criticized what she described as Washington's casual attitude towards large sums of money, attributing it to the federal government's substantial debt. Ernst expressed pride in leading efforts to treat tax dollars responsibly.

The legislation also received support from Senators Marsha Blackburn, James Lankford, Josh Hawley, Eric Schmitt, and John Curtis. Further details about the bill are available in its full text.