June 14, 2026
For too long, Americans have been resigned to the fact that our government is too big, too bureaucratic, and too often unaccountable to the taxpayers who fund it. The result of which has been years of Washington sending money out the door first and asking questions later, creating a ripe opportunity for bad actors to steal billions in tax dollars.
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the federal government loses an estimated $233 billion to $521 billion annually to fraud, representing between 3 and 7 percent of total federal obligations. That’s serious money and it’s unconscionable that this has been allowed to go on for so long, but this week we passed a series of bills that will crack down on fraud, close loopholes and institute critical safeguards to protect your hard-earned money. There is nothing more insulting than working hard all week to have too much of your paycheck go to taxes only to learn that money was stolen while politicians turned a blind eye.
The massive fraud schemes uncovered in Minnesota revealed just how easy it’s been to take advantage of the system and how Governor Walz and others refused to stop it. As a a member of the House Oversight Committee, we held a series of hearings to examine exactly how these criminals exploited the system, took advantage of bureaucratic gaps, and stole money that should have been protected.
This is not just a matter of good government; it is an affordability issue. Every dollar lost to fraud is ultimately paid for by taxpayers through higher costs, bigger deficits, and more pressure on families already struggling. We passed the Working Families Tax Cut to help Americans keep more of what they earn, but we also have to address the spending side of the equation by cutting Washington’s waste and abuse.
I’m proud that as a result of our work on House Oversight, we developed and passed a major package of anti-fraud reforms that will change how Washington protects taxpayer dollars. These reforms make proven fraud detection tools permanent, strengthen oversight across government programs, require agencies to verify eligibility before payments are made, and crack down on scams like “ghost students” stealing federal financial aid.
The old system of “pay and chase” where Washington sends money out and tries to recover it after fraud occurs is over. We are moving toward a smarter approach where we verify first and pay second. These reforms are about preventing fraud before it happens, protecting taxpayers, and restoring accountability to the federal government.
The work does not stop here. I will continue fighting to bring transparency, accountability, and common sense back to Washington because every taxpayer deserves to know their hard-earned money is being treated with the same care and responsibility they use in their own homes.
I hope you take a moment to watch the video below where I talk in more detail about these critical bills.
Sincerely,
Rep. Nicholas Langworthy
