Senator Marshall: The Era of Fraud is Over — Fraudsters Are Going to Jail

Senator Marshall Delivers Remarks in Support of the Protecting American Taxpayers Act

Washington - On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), delivered remarks on the Senate floor calling on his colleagues to end the era of no accountability and fraud by passing the Protecting American Taxpayers Act.

Senator Marshall emphasized this bill is projected to save $240 billion in taxpayer funds, which would otherwise go to thieves and fraudsters, and he called on members of both parties to come together with the common goal of putting the American taxpayer first.

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Senator Marshall's full speech as delivered:

"Mr. President, just two years ago, we were a land of open borders. Crime was surging across the country, and fraud was rampant. But today - today the borders are secure, crime and murder rates are at a 100-year low, and fraudsters are going to jail. And that's why today I'm rising to support the Protecting American Taxpayers Act."

"For years, Washington accepted fraud as the cost of doing business. The government wrote the checks, the fraudsters cashed them, and hardworking Americans were left to foot the bill. And those same hardworking Americans knew intuitively that that was driving up their cost of living. But those days are coming to an end."

"Under President Trump, we've seen historic momentum to root out waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government. For the first time in a long time, Washington is shining a flashlight on the billions of taxpayer dollars disappearing through fraud, improper payments, and outright criminal activity. Now, Congress has a responsibility to finish the job."

"The American people are asking a simple question: 'If Washington knows where the fraud is, why aren't we stopping it?' And they're right to ask. Today, an estimated $1.4 billion is stolen from taxpayers every single day. That's money that should be strengthening our military, supporting our veterans, protecting Medicare and Social Security, or reducing the debt we're leaving to our children and our grandchildren. Instead, it's ending up in the hands of organized fraud rings, scam artists, and criminals who have learned exactly where the holes in our federal government are."

"We're already seeing what happens when the federal government makes fraud enforcement a priority. In one of the largest healthcare fraud takedowns in our nation's history, federal prosecutors charged hundreds of defendants accused of submitting more than $6 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and other taxpayer-funded health programs. And the best part: people are finally going to jail."

"Investigators uncovered transnational criminal organizations, fraudulent medical equipment schemes, and providers accused of billing the government for services that were never provided. These weren't bookkeeping mistakes; they were sophisticated efforts to steal billions from the American taxpayer."

"Now the truth is simple - fraudsters follow the money, and for too long Washington has rolled out the welcome mat. This legislation finally starts closing that door. The Protecting American Taxpayers Act is projected to save taxpayers $240 billion - that's $240 billion - by preventing fraud before it happens, recovering stolen taxpayer dollars, and ensuring criminals are held accountable. It doesn't just respond to fraud after the fact - it helps stop it before another billion dollars walks out the door."

"One piece of this package that I'm proud to see included is my WALZ Act. W-A-L-Z, the WALZ Act. Named after - you guessed it - a certain governor who allowed fraud to run rampant in his state. The idea behind it is about as simple as it gets - don't pay first and ask questions later. Kansas families don't do business that way, and small businesses don't do business that way. If you're remodeling your kitchen, you don't hand the contractor every penny before a single cabinet's installed. If you're hiring someone to fix your roof, you don't write the check before the work's finished - you pay after the job is done."

"Yet that's exactly the opposite of how Washington has too often operated. For years, the federal government has pushed billions of dollars out the door up front with little accountability, then acted surprised when criminals disappeared with the money. My WALZ Act simply says federal payments should be made as reimbursements after the services have actually been provided. That one simple reform closes one of the biggest loopholes that's allowed billions of taxpayer dollars to be stolen before they ever get the chance to disappear."

"But this package doesn't stop there - it claws back unused COVID funds, strengthens the Treasury's fraud detection systems, extends the statute of limitations so pandemic fraudsters can't simply run out the clock, it protects our veterans from scammers, it combats emerging AI-generated fraud, and gives law enforcement stronger tools to hold criminals accountable. Taken together, these reforms represent one of the strongest anti-fraud packages Congress has considered in years."

"Now, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle spend years responding to every problem the same way - throwing more money at it. We believe the first question should be, 'Where is the fraud? Where is the waste? Where is the abuse? And how do we stop it before asking taxpayers for another dime?'"

"This administration has created real momentum. For the first time in years, we're not just talking about fraud - we're finding it, prosecuting it, and putting criminals on notice that stealing from the American taxpayer has consequences. People are already being held accountable, and more need to be. Congress should build on that momentum by giving law enforcement and federal agencies the tools they need to keep fraudsters out of our programs and behind bars where they belong."

"So, let's not waste this opportunity - let's make these reforms permanent, let's close the loopholes once and for all, let's protect the taxpayers who fund the government, and let's send a clear message that the era of easy money for fraudsters is over. I urge every one of our colleagues to support the Protecting American Taxpayers Act. Thank you, Mr. President, and I yield the floor."

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