Put America on Commission Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]
In Committee
Summary
This bill would create an Office of Whistleblower Awards inside the Small Business Administration to pay whistleblowers who provide original information that leads to convictions, settlements, or plea agreements in COVID loan fraud cases. It ties awards to amounts recovered and sets payment rules so whistleblowers are paid from a Treasury Whistleblower Award Fund at set rates based on the location of the convicted or settling party.
Show full summary
- Whistleblowers: Only original information that leads to a final conviction, settlement, or plea based on that information is eligible. Only the whistleblower with the most substantial contribution may receive an award, the office can reduce awards for culpable behavior, and a whistleblower convicted of related offenses is ineligible and may have to repay awards.
- SBA operations and oversight: The new office sits in the SBA's Office of Performance, Planning, and the Chief Financial Officer and is run by a competitive service employee. It must give status updates to whistleblowers, follow disclosure procedures consistent with 5 U.S.C. 1213, and report to Congress within 12 months and annually on submissions and awards.
- Recovered funds and penalties: Awards and operating costs come from a Whistleblower Award Fund funded by amounts collected from convicted or settling parties. Civil monetary penalties are set at 30 percent of the aggregate principal loan amounts involved, and leftover funds go to the Treasury general fund.
- Timing and appeals: Awards must be paid within one year after deposits into the fund. Determinations can be appealed to a U.S. court of appeals within 30 days, with limits on which aspects may be appealed.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Whistleblower awards for COVID loans
If enacted, the bill would create an Office of Whistleblower Awards inside the SBA. You would be able to get an award for giving original information about fraudulent COVID loan actions if the case ends in a final conviction, settlement, or plea agreement. Awards would generally be 10% of deposited amounts for U.S. nationals/entities in the United States, and 15% for foreign nationals/entities outside the United States. Only the whistleblower with the most substantial contribution could receive an award, and the office could reduce or deny awards if the whistleblower planned or started the misconduct. Payments must be made within one year after money is deposited for the case. The bill would add anti-retaliation protections, appeal rights to a U.S. court of appeals, and rule deadlines for the agency.
Fund and penalties for COVID loans
If enacted, the bill would create a Treasury revolving Whistleblower Award Fund to pay awards and run the office. Money deposited into the fund would come from amounts collected from a person finally convicted of, or who settles, a qualifying COVID loan action. The bill would allow the SBA to assess a civil penalty equal to 30% of the aggregate principal of the loans tied to the case, and deposit collected amounts into the fund. Fund money would be available without further appropriation for awards and office costs, and any unused money would be sent to the Treasury general fund.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/5/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov