Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, released the following statement after voting in support of the H.R. 1163 the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act. 

"The Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act tackles the issue of fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) payments that left taxpayers on the hook forbillions of dollars,” said Burgess. “This legislation proposes solutions to improve program integrity, prevent future fraud, and incentivize states to recover funds. With over $400 billion in fraudulent UI payments, we must take action to safeguard our economy and support those hit hardest by the pandemic. It is despicable how some individuals took advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to line their own pockets, exploiting these important safety nets. President Biden's FY 2024 budget request includes several measures from the bill, demonstrating broad support for our efforts to protect the American taxpayer and the victims of unemployment fraud."