June 22, 2026
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National Taxpayers Union, the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, urges all members to vote “YES” on two anti-fraud bills slated for consideration: H.R. 7401, the Small Business Lending Fraud Prevention Act, introduced by Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA), and H.R. 826, the COVID Fraud Transparency Act of 2025, sponsored by Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX). These two bills safeguard taxpayer dollars from being squandered on fraudulent activity by implementing commonsense reforms to the federal bureaucracy.
According to the Government Accountability Office, the federal government loses between $233 billion and $521 billion annually to fraud. With interest on the national debt already consuming about 13% of the entire U.S. federal budget, allowing billions of taxpayer dollars to be routinely pocketed by fraudsters is simply unconscionable.
H.R. 7401 enhances the Small Business Administration’s conflict of interest rules by mandating that employees certify they do not have a conflict of interest when handling loan applications. Building on existing federal laws regarding conflicts of interest, implementing this cost-efficient legislation would cost less than $500,000 over the 2026–2031 period.
Drawing on lessons learned during the pandemic, H.R. 826 strengthens congressional oversight of COVID-19 relief loan programs by requiring the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General to provide lawmakers with quarterly updates on fraud-related activity and enforcement actions. This legislation would also cost less than $500,000 to implement over the 2026–2031 period.
Scandals involving fraudulent government payments and the widespread misuse of taxpayer dollars have made headlines around the country in recent months. By placing an emphasis on transparency and fraud prevention, these two bills are exactly the kind of practical, good-government reforms needed to restore public trust in government.
Roll call votes will be included in NTU’s annual rating of Congress and “YES” votes will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact NTU Policy and Government Affairs Manager Alexander Ciccone at aciccone@ntu.org
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