You know that Vice President JD Vance is leading the Trump administration’s fight against fraud. But he can’t do it alone. In an Op-ed in the Washington Post, Vance explains the success of his anti-fraud task force, but notes that Congress must be recruited into the fight to give the task force additional tools to clamp down on fraud. He explains:
Our work is also just getting started. On Wednesday, the task force will host members of Congress to chart the next phase of this effort. We’ve learned a great deal in four months about where fraud thrives, what tools investigators need and where the law still falls short. To protect these programs for the next generation, Congress must help us finish the job.
Lawmakers can start by passing measures to strengthen oversight and accountability of federal benefits programs through stronger data-sharing requirements. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and fraudsters thrive when they’re shielded from oversight by states that refuse to share vital information such as SNAP rolls with federal law enforcement. Congress can also help by implementing mandatory minimum sentences for the most egregious fraud, and stiffer penalties for illegal aliens who steal from the American people.
Protecting benefits programs and lowering costs for Americans by stopping these fraudsters should be a bipartisan effort. Our task force urges all 50 states to work with the Trump administration as we get this done. The stakes are bigger than politics because the victims of fraud are our fellow citizens — the most generous people in the world, always willing to help a neighbor in need. What they won’t tolerate is watching criminals exploit that generosity for personal gain. Neither will this administration.
Action Line: Vance is working hard to protect American taxpayers, and Congress should work hard to help him. Click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
