Congressman Biggs Introduces the TRUE Accountability Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) introduced the Taxpayers Resources Used in Emergencies (TRUE) Accountability Act - a bipartisan piece of legislation to require agencies to develop plans to prevent fraud during an emergency or crisis. Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) joined as a co-lead on the bill.

The bill requires that two U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports - A Framework for Managing Improper Payments in Emergency Assistance Programs and A Framework for Managing Fraud Risks in 20 Federal Programs - be incorporated into agency plans so they have a proven, data-driven framework for preventing fraud. GAO estimates that the federal government loses between $233 billion and $521 billion annually to fraud. In 2020-2023 alone, GAO estimates that over $300 billion in fraud occurred across COVID-19 relief government programs, and that 19 different pandemic relief programs were targeted and defrauded as of 2024.

"For decades, fraud has run rampant in bloated government programs," said Congressman Biggs. "American taxpayers work extremely hard for their money, and they deserve to know that government agencies are committed to wisely stewarding their dollars - not allowing the funds to be stolen by fraudulent entities, especially in times of emergency or crisis. This is an issue that Members of both parties can support, and I am grateful for Congressman Subramanyam's leadership in pushing the TRUE Accountability Act. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to send this legislation to the U.S. Senate and then to the White House."

"We must ensure that federal agencies are prepared to handle emergency funds as effectively as possible," said Congressman Subramanyam. "The American public deserves confidence that emergency funds are going to the people who need it the most, not ending up in the hands of fraudsters. This commonsense bill will increase accountability and improve fiscal management at federal agencies."

The TRUE Accountability Act will be marked up in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform this week before being transmitted to the full House for consideration.

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