Peoria Standard

Congressman Darin LaHood, representing Illinois' 16th district and serving as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare, has expressed approval for the recent passage of the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act in the House of Representatives. The legislation passed with a vote count of 295 to 127.

The new act seeks to extend the statute of limitations for addressing fraud related to Covid-19 pandemic unemployment benefits. This extension aims to provide law enforcement with additional time to conclude ongoing investigations, initiate new cases, and recover funds misappropriated during the pandemic period.

In his remarks, Rep. LaHood emphasized the necessity for swift congressional action. "Congress must act quickly. We cannot retroactively change criminal liability for federal crimes," he stated. He further elaborated on efforts made by his subcommittee in investigating pandemic-related unemployment fraud, citing estimates from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that suggest between $100 billion and $135 billion were lost due to fraudulent activities, with only $5 billion recovered so far.

LaHood highlighted testimony from a recent subcommittee hearing where experts suggested that up to 70 percent of fraudulent claims were linked to international criminals including Russian mobsters, Chinese hackers, and Nigerian scammers. He described the bill as a "commonsense" measure aimed at recovering stolen taxpayer money and deterring future criminal activity.

Background information reveals that on February 6, 2025, Rep. LaHood chaired a hearing focused on prosecuting individuals responsible for stealing billions in unemployment benefits during the pandemic. Witnesses at this hearing advocated for an extension of the statute of limitations beyond its current expiration date of March 27, 2025.

The discussion also brought attention to ongoing issues where similar criminals are now targeting disaster relief benefits intended for victims affected by natural disasters such as fires in Los Angeles and hurricanes in North Carolina.