[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 20, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H6902-H6903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1430
           FIND AND PROSECUTE COVID-19 ECONOMIC RELIEF FRAUD

  (Mr. GOTTHEIMER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the House Appropriations 
Committee for their hard work on this important piece of legislation.
  I rise today in support of the passage of H.R. 8294, which contained 
a crucial amendment I introduced to help find and prosecute cases of 
fraud within COVID-19 economic relief.
  My amendment provides critical investment for the Small Business 
Administration Office of the Inspector General to ensure that they 
continue to hold Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection 
Program fraudsters accountable.
  It is deeply disturbing to hear about the recent flurry of fraud 
convictions related to these two relief programs that provided vital 
resources to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are 
dollars that were meant for small businesses struggling due to the 
pandemic, and to help their families, not to help greedy cheats looking 
to profit off the backs of their neighbors.
  My amendment supports efforts for the SBA to identify and prosecute 
cases of EIDL and PPP fraud more aggressively. Applicants from 
businesses in my district may have been denied critical financial 
resources because of the actions of these crooks, and we owe it to all 
of our constituents to hold these bad actors accountable.
  I strongly urge all my colleagues in the Senate to pass this 
critically important provision.

[[Page H6903]]

  

                          ____________________