Peoria Standard

Darin LaHood, representative for Illinois' 16th Congressional District, has commended the Committee on Ways and Means for passing the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act. He emphasized the importance of holding criminals accountable in a Facebook post shared on February 13.

"Fraudsters stole hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars from pandemic era unemployment programs," said LaHood, U.S. Representative, according to Facebook. "Yesterday, the Committee on Ways and Means passed the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act to hold these criminals accountable. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and protect taxpayers!"

The post featured a video of LaHood speaking during a Committee on Ways and Means hearing. He expressed pride in cosponsoring the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act, describing it as a "must-pass" bill. LaHood explained that current federal cases related to pandemic unemployment fraud rely on criminal statutes with a five-year limitation, but the new bill would extend that to ten years. He added that witnesses at a recent Work and Welfare subcommittee hearing highlighted the necessity of extending the statute of limitations to recover funds lost to fraudsters.

Screenshot of U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood's Feb. 13 Facebook post. | U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood Facebook page

U.S. House Resolution 1156 (H.R. 1156) was introduced by Representative Jason Smith from Missouri's 8th district on February 10. The resolution aims to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act by extending the statute of limitations for fraud under certain unemployment programs. Specifically, it adds a new paragraph to establish a ten-year limit for violations related to pandemic emergency unemployment compensation based on the date of violation. The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, which passed it on February 12. The bill has 23 cosponsors, including LaHood.

According to the State of Illinois Office of Auditor General’s July 2023 performance audit of the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), overpayments from fiscal years 2020-2022 totaled $5.24 billion, with $3.20 billion attributed to pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA). IDES stopped or recovered $361.34 million in PUA funds. The audit also found fraudulent payments were made to deceased and incarcerated individuals for both PUA and regular unemployment insurance.

LaHood holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loras College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois-Chicago John Marshall Law School. He resides in Peoria with his wife, according to his official biography.